


Cultural Differences of an Uncertain Sort

by kaykat17



Category: Gargoyles (Cartoon)
Genre: Beta in process, Cultural Differences, Cultural Misunderstandings, F/M, Interspecies Relationship(s), Interspecies Romance, Interspecies Sex, Miscarriage
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-13
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:40:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 32
Words: 132,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22240468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaykat17/pseuds/kaykat17
Summary: "He couldn’t say no to her, not in a situation like this. It was selfish of him but it had been nearly a thousand years since someone had groomed him. He did not want to pass up on the opportunity, even if she did not understand exactly what her actions meant."In which the Manhattan clan is known by the world and choices must be made. Goliath and Elisa have always danced around the subject of their relationship, and Elisa's misunderstandings of her Clan's life lead to 'interesting' circumstances. Beyond that there is the Quarry Men, Coldstone, Thailog, Demona, and the Illuminati - who are their enemies and who are their friends? The world is changing fast and skeletons are being pulled out of closets and into the light once again.This is a Slice of Life-ish interspecies romance fic that I've been debating since I finished devouring the series again.
Relationships: Goliath/Elisa Maza
Comments: 309
Kudos: 248





	1. The Ritual of Hair

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there! I’m a big fan of the show and have been for many years so I wanted to address some of the things that I’ve taken liberties within my writing. In the final episode of season two Goliath and Elisa shared a moment and I have chosen to remove that from the canon of my fic. I am also omitting the entirety of the third season of the show and the comics (thought taking heavy inspiration from them). In relation to the canon of the comic books, I am keeping the formation of the Quarry Men and that is it. 
> 
> I am also taking a few liberties with Gargoyle culture and behaviors. 
> 
> That’s about it! Thank you!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (As of May 27th, this Chapter has been edited by the lovely Missyjenne)  
> \--------------------------------------------------

Her hair was smooth like spun silk. His own hair had more body to it, a rougher texture that needed less frequent washes and even less brushing. Watching her brush her hair before she showered had taken him back, reminded him of a far off memory of having seen another human go through such action. 

She laughed at his expression, though he had been sure he had schooled his fascination to mild amusement. 

“Come here Big Guy, feel the difference.” She brought his hand to the unbrushed side and his talons couldn’t slide through it smoothly. That had honestly not been the focus of his thoughts.

A laugh bubbled up from her and she switched him to the other side so he could feel the difference between the sides. Surely she didn’t know what it meant to have another comb talons through their hair, much less close their eyes and lean into the palm presented.

The weight of her head in his palm was minuscule, he could almost comfortably wrap his digits fully around her skull with only a little room to spare. 

“See, so now when I wash it I don’t have to fight it; though you’ve never experienced that, have you?” She eyed his dark locks while waving her brush around, “Mind if I give it a try?” She was beautiful in her innocence. Her dark brown eyes were nothing like a Gargoyle’s in their ability to light up, but still conveyed emotions and gave him a window to see into her with. 

He was sure she could hear the low rumble that tried to fight its way out of him. There was no way that she, a human with limited contact with his kind, knew the depth of her question and what it meant she was presenting. He would be responsible and understanding, knowing that she was not truly offering anything to him. Despite what his instincts told him. 

His culture did not come before hers. 

“I do not know if your brush will be able to control my hair as it does yours.” He rumbled out, eyeing the brush she held and comparing it to the one his rookery mothers and fathers had used to tame his hair before he had been able to do so himself. That comb had been far larger, the teeth spaced further apart, and designed to handle the tangle that could be a young gargoyle's hair.

She rolled her eyes at him and stood up from her seat at the vanity. “Would you at least let me try?” She pointed to the seat, which thankfully had space to accommodate his wings and tail. Her other hand rested on her hip in a way that was so common a sight, it meant 'her way or the highway' as she had once explained to him. 

He couldn’t say no to her, not in a situation like this. It was selfish of him but it had been nearly a thousand years since someone had groomed him. He did not want to pass up on the opportunity, even if she did not understand exactly what her actions meant.

He had no siblings or lovers left, and even Hudson would not cross that cultural barrier. 

With a sigh, he gave in and took a seat. She let him settle in and cape his wings as well as pull his tail aside so she wouldn’t bump into it on accident. 

The mild discomfort he felt was worth seeing her relax and smile at his compliance. It may not have meant the same thing between the two of their cultures but it still meant something to her and he could live with that.

Her fingers dug into his thick locks and immediately he did not like where this was going to go. She may not have known what it meant to him but she certainly had an idea of what she wanted it to mean between them.

The brush was able to make it through roughly the first half of her stroke before it came to a halt. His face made a mild grimace, not that it truly hurt but talons would slice through the knots and have no resistance at all, and tugging on hair was unusual apart from when a fight broke out. 

”Ah, your hair reminds me of my brothers before he gave it a chop. Don’t worry, I can make this movie ready by the time I’m done with it.” Her look of confidence didn’t help with the arousal that was slowly rising within himself. 

She took the end of his locks and began to brush through them, patiently tugging and untangling knots until they were no more. Each tug sent shivers up his spine and into his wingtips. The tip of his tail twitched occasionally as well. 

It was soothing as she gently worked her way up to the crown of his head. There was a rhythm and pattern to her actions and it was easy to fall into keeping his head steady when she needed him to and letting his shoulders relax as she worked back down to the tips. 

He hadn’t noticed that his eyes had closed. She was someone who was safe. He could relax and allow himself to be in the moment and not have to be on the defensive. She could protect herself, but she had also proven herself in protecting him and his clan more often than he could count. 

“You know, you sound exactly like Cagney.” There was quiet laughter in her voice as he cracked his eye to peer at her reflection. Not only had his eyes slide closed, but he had started to quietly rumble. 

She gave his hair one final pull through before stepping back and admiring her work.

He reached up and passed his claws through her work, checking for any stray knots. “You are quite skilled.”

”Comes with the years of practice. My brother and I had hair that was pretty hard to tame when we were younger.” She smiled and leaned on his shoulder, minding his wing cape so she didn’t put too much pressure on it. Not that she weighed enough for him to even notice.

It was foreign to feel the give of her skin against his. Physical contact was a normal part of life with the rest of the clan. They all had to remember to be careful, her skin was no protection against their talons; every now and then Bronx needed to be reminded that he could not greet her like he greeted the rest of them. Human skin tore like paper with too much pressure. 

“Humans are similar to Gargoyles then.” He commented, letting his eyes slide closed one more time as she pulled her fingers through his hair. He leaned into it, letting out another rumble and sinking further into the chair.

It was indecent of him. She didn’t know what it meant. Heat was rising in his face and he was grateful that humans couldn’t pick up on how Gargoyles blush. His talons itched to pull through her hair, to caress her skin, and to pull her under his wings to shut out the rest of the world. He could not. He would not. 

She hummed, unaware of the internal struggle happening before her. “You know, you’re right. Each of you are so different but at the same time, you can tell what Clan you’re all from. Some with hair, some without, all the different colors, but all Gargoyles.” Her hands strayed to his ears. “Even ear shapes vary between all of you.” She tugged on it lightly.

He let out a soft sound, somewhere between a growl and a sigh.

“Goliath, are you okay? You’re warm…” His eyes snapped open at her comment. Her fingers pulled away from his ear to rest on his forehead. “Do Gargoyles even get fevers?” She pressed the back of her hand into his forehead, an action he had seen her do to others before when she had checked their health. 

He froze under her touch, and thought for a moment before saying “We do not get fevers.”

She frowned but took his words at face value. “If you say so, but if you come down with a cold you won’t find any help from me.” She tweaked his ear before leaning against him once more. “Though I am glad none of you have gotten sick; where could we even go to get you guys the help you need…” She trailed off her comment.

Shivers ran down his spine and into his tail as she resumed her petting.

He was glad that since their initial meeting she had never shied away from physical contact. Goliath and the rest were physical with each other in common and culturally understood ways. Caressing hair and wings was not something one did casually. It was too intimate, as was wrapping one's wings around another and pulling them close. 

Shoving siblings aside, putting hands on shoulders and knees, carrying one another, and tugging on tails were all things that they even included her, despite her lack of certain anatomy. She had to know. He had seen a few of the films that Broadway, Lexington, and Brooklyn all enjoyed. He had seen how lovers interact on the screen and he had also seen such interactions on the streets of New York.

Part of him craved that she was going through her own human courting ritual with him. The other part of him knew it was wrong, that he couldn’t give her what she needed or wanted. 

Yet here she was, resting her head between his shoulder blades and raking her fingers through his locks.

Through it all, they had grown comfortable with each other.

His mind began to wander, thinking of humans and their courting, rituals, and histories. In his time the library he had researched had a number of books about humans, but a majority were fantastic and filled with half-truths. The library he now stocked contained more knowledge about the human race than any one mind could contain. 

A feeling of loss washed over him and he stiffened slightly.

“Hey Big Guy you okay?” She pushed off of him and put her hands on his shoulders while peering around so she could look at his reflection in the mirror. 

Her arms were almost like wings in how she held them around him, shielding him from the outside world. It was almost instinctual with how he leaned back into her warmth and grip.

“I was thinking about how humanity has book upon book written about your culture and values. About things that humanity discovered and continues to research. My kind never had such an opportunity. Much of our history is oral, passed between generations.” He put a hand over hers, tightening his grip. “My clan’s history would be lost without myself or Hudson.” He leaned further against her, seeking her warmth and comfort.

“You know, I had never thought about that. We have so many books about our cultures, our ways of life, and it never really crossed my mind that I have never really been able to find anything about you guys.” She put her weight against him, her chin digging mildly into his shoulder as she leaned into him. 

“If possible, I’d like to start recording my clan’s history.” His hand moved from her to the top of her head, returning her touch even if it meant putting his shoulder into an awkward position.

She hummed and shifted to lean into it. “I’ll get you anything you need to help you, you know that.”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me, I’m also curious.” She let out a little laugh. “I hear the stories and I’ve heard you all mention snippets of the past and honestly, I’m curious about your kind. You are all so human but not.” Elisa shifted her arms to wrap around his neck and pulled him into a hug.

He moved his own hand to grip onto hers.

“I know you do not want to hear the thanks, but I must say them anyway. I am thankful for all you have done, and I am thankful that you stand with us for what we may need in the future.”

She grimaced, clearly not liking the idea of what he was saying. He knew it was true, she was one of their most powerful allies and a member of their clan. Between her and Xanatos he knew that his clan had a future, he just hoped that it was enough of a future for everyone to be happy. 

“Make all the faces you like, but I speak the truth.” He smiled and leaned forward so her body weight was settled between his wings. 

She grumbled something that even he could not pick up, but he assumed it was her giving in to his little argument. 

“Please, you’ve groomed me. Will you let me groom you?” He knew it was indecent. He knew it was him making a declaration that she did not understand. If any of his rookery brothers were around they would have known immediately what he was offering, but he knew that she had no clue.

A smile bloomed across her face, “Of course!”

His gut twisted but his wings shivered; how did he come to deserve such a smile?

They swapped positions, but her sitting at the low seat in front of the vanity put her at an awkward angle for him to be able to groom her like he wanted to. 

“Is there a way we can raise you up a little?” He fretted and looked around the room to find something to put her at the right height. 

She let out a laugh, “I haven’t been told that since I was a little girl trying to sit at the dinner table. Just a minute I know exactly what we need.” She seemingly bounced through her door back into the living room and over to her ‘entertainment center’ as he had learned it was called the other day. She opened one of the side doors and pulled out a few thick books.

Those books were stacked on her seat and she perched herself on them. “How’s this?” She laughed a little. “Used to use phone books to be able to sit like a big girl at the dinner table.”

He almost understood her joke, but instead of asking her to explain it more he let out a short laugh. “Perfect, just the right height.” He wasn’t lying either. His talons could now reach her crown comfortably and easily. 

She settled in and he got to work. She set her shoulders and seemed to relax into his ministrations, almost as if it were routine between the two of them.

Goliath planned a simple braid with a few flairs that had long fallen out of fashion, but were some of the only patterns he was comfortable putting on another person without having a reference piece with him. Of his sisters and brothers, he had not been among those talented at braiding.

He began tugging and pulling her hair into plaits as he needed.

He was gentle with his talons, knowing that her soft skin would be pricked if he wasn't careful. She was so fragile compared to himself and his rookery siblings. His strength was something that he had always had to watch, even when he was younger, but he felt like she was made of glass compared to the rest of his siblings and children. 

Her reflection in the mirror showed him that her eyes were closed as she leaned into him.

His mind drifted as his talons went to work. It had been a while since he had been over to her dwelling. She could find them easily at the castle now that they were back under the protection of Xantatos, but it was no longer as easy as her climbing into the clock tower.

He regretted its loss.

The clock tower had suited them as the hot and cold did not truly affect them. There had been enough space, and it had been far above the crowded city streets below. The drafts had been particularly nice in the summer, and the abundance of tall buildings meant that it was relatively easy to make an escape; if one could avoid being spotted. 

Though, being home in the castle once more meant quite a bit to him and the rest of the clan. The QuarryMen were still out there and would hunt them just as the Hunters did, but this time they had powerful allies. Someday it would be okay. Until then, they would wait and be patient, no matter how much it hurt him. 

He opened his mouth to say something, his wings and tail drawing closer to her, but the look of peace on her face stopped him. It pulled him out of his fantasy and straight into the hard earth below. 

Elisa looked at peace, comforted by him. He could not sense or smell any discomfort or fear. She truly was at home surrounded by his kind, even if she did not understand the culture or history. She had been thrown into danger by his kind time and time again but she always came back, always stood by them, and always appeared at the ready should anything be amiss.

It was not worth the risk. She was too important to the clan, not just to himself. 

He looked down at his handiwork, the last braid being gently coaxed into place. It was not his best work, but his skills had been unused for over a thousand years. A thought shifted below the surface of his consciousness asking ‘what if they were allowed to practice more?’ To ask Elisa if he could groom her more often. He pushed it down and took a deep breath.

“Looks better than I thought it would.” He settled a palm on one shoulder and the other flipped the braid over so it rested over her collarbone. 

She peeked out from under her lashes with one eye, almost sleepily before coming fully to. “Oh wow!” She reached up to grab the end so she could tie it off with an elastic band. “That’s actually impressive, reminds me of something that my mother would do when I was younger.” She turned her head and admired the simple pattern as if it were a piece of art.

“My rookery siblings were far more skilled at such work.” He smiled and trailed a talon down the length of the braid. “Though, it does look quite good on you.”

She gave him a smile in the mirror, “With a little practice I’m sure you’ll be even better than them.” 

He froze for a moment before stroking her hair again and taking a step back. Her offering her hair like that, without much thought and with so much trust made his blood rush. 

Goliath needed to get out of her bedroom and back into the living room. Being surrounded by her scent while having such thoughts circle through his mind was a recipe for disaster. 

Her couch groaned slightly as he settled into it. He gently picked up her remote and turned on the nightly news; he wanted to get an update on the QuarryMen, specifically what the media thought of them and if the people of New York were supporting them.

Elisa finished getting changed in her bedroom; he could hear the rustling of her clothes and his blood surged again. Human and Gargoyle clothes varied on the personal choice of who was wearing them.

In the time that they had known each other he had seen her in many outfits and costumes, but by far his favorite was her overly large sweaters and running shorts. She had amassed a collection, a few even had stories that she had shared with him and the others. 

Tonight she had chosen such an outfit with a sweater whose story he knew. It was from her days of training and bore the name of her Academy.

He shifted over so there was space beside him and he also made sure to lift a wing so she could come closer. With practiced ease, she settled in next to him and leaned heavily on his shoulder.

For a moment they were quiet, their attention focused on the newscaster as he listened to the debate on whether or not the Gargoyles needed to be taken into captivity to be studied and protected. Macbeth was also an ally who Goliath had forgotten about earlier.

Elisa seemed to read his mind, “You know, I’m glad he’s figured something out and moved on. As long as Demona is around so will he.” She wrapped her arms around his left side. “He’s here to help and I’m grateful.” He rumbled his agreement. 

“It would be a shame to only see you through the bars of a cage,” Goliath murmured. He felt his body tense and his wing pulled in tighter as if to cut her out of the outside world and pull her further into his own private one. 

“Don’t say that, don’t even joke about that.” There was no heat in her words, only weariness.

“Have you reached out to your brother? To warn him?” He was worried about Delilah and her clan that lived under Talon’s protection. “I worry about the Clones.” 

She nodded and wrapped herself tighter around his arm, which he was trying his best to just treat as casual touching, and that it was nothing more than her seeking comfort in these troubling times. 

“I called him this morning and he let the others know, they’ve enforced a stricter policy of who can go out and when.” He could hear the worry in her voice. 

He looked down at her. Her form was swallowed up by his wing, and the idea of that brought him pleasure which was indecent and obscene as she could not know what it meant to be wrapped in someone’s wing with their hair groomed and styled. He could see the worry crease her forehead.

Gently he reached down and tucked a flyaway piece of her hair behind her ear. “It will be okay. He is a strong leader and is unfortunately used to how humans treat the things that they fear.”

Elisa looked up, an unreadable emotion crossed her face. “That doesn’t make it right. You and the rest, you’ve done so much for these people and they don’t even know it!” She shoved his wing aside to stand in front of him. “I hate it! I hate seeing your worth debated on TV, I hate fearing that one day you will all have to flee for your own safety.” Angry tears started welling in her eyes. She was terribly beautiful in her rage, her body tense and ready to fight for the Clan's freedom. If she were one of them her eyes would be flashing and her fangs would be bared.

He gently reached out and took her hands in his. “Elisa, if that time ever comes, we will figure out something together. You are a member of our clan, you are privy to our private matters and you will have a voice in our decisions.” Her fear was one he understood all too well. “We will not leave you behind, nor will we force you to come with us. Please, we will figure it out.” Her face melted from anger and fear to something that sliced through his chest. 

She let out a sob and he pulled her close. It took a little maneuvering, but she was quickly wrapped in his arms with hers thrown over his shoulders. His wings cocooned them. A pleased rumble bubbled up in his chest as he gently smoothed her braid. 

The TV droned on in the background, but they no longer cared. He did not know how long she cried and it did not matter, he was sure she had been ‘bottling’ up her emotions, as he’d heard other humans refer to it. 

Emotions were not something to be ashamed of, even if he had a hard time expressing them himself. It was complicated, what he felt towards her. 

Besides the urge to protect her, he also wanted to enjoy her, to teach her his culture and in turn learn more about her modern one. He greatly enjoyed their private moments together, but there was always the air of a held breath between them. In the past, they had made declarations, though they were usually in times of peril or when the future was unknown. Neither had sat down and talked about what it was that they wanted from each other. He wanted to give her the world, but he was unsure that the world she wanted was the one he could give to her. 

There would be no 'normal' if they pursued the relationship they both seemed to want. He could not give her a husband or child, his home was not his own, and the world wanted to cage him and the rest of the Clan to be observed and studied. He desperately wanted to keep her at his side; she was a member of the clan and loved by all of them. They had already lost too many members and he could not bear to lose her too. 

Wrapped up in his own thoughts he hadn’t realized she had fallen asleep.

Pleasure burned through his blood that she was so at ease with him.

Making sure to support her head and neck, he slowly stood and made his way to her bedroom. He laid her to rest in her fairly large bed and made sure that the blankets covered her up to her neck.

Human beds were so foreign and interesting. When the sun rose, Gargoyles ‘slept’ as they called it, so there was no need to have a bed or bedroom. He wondered when humans started creating separate places to rest.

He padded back into the living room and he could sense the sun would be rising soon. There was not enough time for him to make it back to the castle. Elisa’s phone was easy enough to use despite his claws. He and the clan had memorized both her number and Xanatos’ in case such a predicament were to arise. 

The phone rang two before Fox spoke, “Hello Elisa.”

“Hello Fox, I will be spending the day at Elisa’s.” He didn’t like using the phone, it prevented him from seeing the other person’s facial expressions. It distorted the voice into a mechanical mockery and removed all emotions. Not that Fox was an emotional woman to begin with. 

“Ah, excellent. I will tell the others.” He could hear Alexander chattering to one of his clanmates in the background. It soothed him to know that the boy would stay with his mother and father, and that there was hope for the future.

He thanked her, and gently hung the phone up. 

They would get through this, all of them together. It would take time and effort, and he was certain there would be dangers that none of them would see coming. As long as they were together it would be okay. 

The widow wall was beginning to lighten as the sun began to rise. He found a place in the shadows in the corner of her living room, so that he wasn’t in the full view of the windows. He did not want to be spotted by the QuarryMen or any passing news helicopters. 

Before they had been safe enough to simply find a place safely above the busy roads and settle in for the day; his last thought before he turned to stone was that he would miss that freedom and hoped that one day he would have it back.


	2. The Ritual of Names

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (As of May 27th, this Chapter has been edited by the lovely Missyjenne)  
> \--------------------------------------------------

It was strange to wake up in her bed when her last recollections from earlier were of her standing in front of Goliath and just feeling the situation crash down around them while watching the debate. 

Seeing Macbeth of all people come forward and vouch for the Gargoyles meant a lot to her, he had spent a thousand years hunting Demona and had only recently come to terms with his immortality and had given up the hunt.

It had been too much for her to handle. She couldn’t understand why the others saw them as more beast than man and it broke her heart. Having lived amongst them for nearly a year she had seen so many sides to each of them. Some good and some bad, but so very human in all of it. 

The world seemed to be getting smaller as everything the Clan had worked for broke down.

Xanatos had come forward, offering the castle as the Clan’s official home. Fatherhood had softened him and he felt that he was indebted to Goliath and the clan as they had rescued his son from being taken away by Oberon.

Both he and Fox had been more than accommodating to the Clan and were also preventing the media and the police force from getting too close to his private property. No one knew how to create a warrant to allow them to legally search for a Gargoyle, as no laws pertained to the Gargoyles. Yet.

She added that final thought on with a mixture of emotions that she didn’t want to unwind just yet. 

Daylight was still streaming through her windows so she was certain he was still somewhere in her apartment, though maybe he’d had enough time to get back to the castle. 

Cagney let out a meow from the foot of her bed. 

“Mornin’ big guy.” She smiled and stretched, “Let’s put together some breakfast. Or dinner.” She peeked over at her bedside clock and it blinked out 7:43 as the time.

They had a little bit before Goliath would wake and join them. 

Thankfully she had the day off. She desperately wanted to see the rest of the Clan and to meet Xanatos and start coming up with a solution to their problem at hand. 

Well, at least one of them. She buried her head in her hands. 

“Cagney, I know they are made out of stone part of the time but I never imagined that he would be so dense. What’s a girl to do?” Cagney gazed back at her with unreadable emotions in his eyes before getting up and doing a full-body stretch. “Well you sure are a help, but that’s what I get for asking advice from a cat.” She mumbled and got out of bed.

It was time to start the day.

It didn’t take her long to find Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome. He was relatively well hidden behind the large plant that took up most of the corner. 

“Smart cookie.” It was hard to spot him from the wall of windows that opened to the sky. It was slowly fading from blue to orange, her favorite time of the day. 

Cagney’s dish was quickly filled and she got to putting together a simple breakfast of toast, bacon, and eggs. Her work had been during the graveyard shift for so long that it was her normal to eat breakfast as the sunset. 

She liked it though, it meant she was able to be a part of the Clan’s life that much easier. 

Despite the sizzling and popping of the eggs and bacon in front of her, her ears were tuned into the daily rhythms of Gargoyle life. Once she heard the tell-tale cracks, she poured an extra cup of coffee and made her way over to him. 

Usually when the Clan 'woke up’ it was a show of shattering stone skin and howls out into the night sky.

When Goliath woke within the walls of her apartment, it was a quiet affair. He also made sure to pick up the pieces rather than leaving them behind and destroying her vacuum. Again. Broadway had apologized profusely for the accident and she had to smile at the memory of his shocked face when she had shown him the ripped up vacuum. 

It was hard to not stare as he flexed and rolled his shoulders, picking off the pieces that hadn’t fallen off yet. 

“Good morning, coffee?” She offered him the extra cup while sipping from hers.

He nodded and smiled, “Yes, thank you.” He gingerly took the cup from her grip and cradled it in his large palms. “Smells like you’ve already started breakfast.” He usually did not like eating human food. Well, modern human food, so she was glad he showed interest in her cooking. 

“Yup, good ol’ American classic of toast, eggs, and bacon. Want some? Broadway seems to like it a lot.” He had once eaten three dozen eggs in one sitting to her disbelief. 

Goliath snorted, clearly more at ease today than yesterday. Well, earlier that day. Sometimes she hated the language shift that happened with graveyard life. 

“Broadway will eat anything placed in front of him, but I do not doubt his enjoyment of your cooking.” He smiled and followed her to the kitchen bar. 

She let out a laugh, “You should see some of the things he brings here as a snack. I’ve stopped asking him exactly what it is.” She threw open her fridge, “Look, about half of this is his.”

They both examined the contents; half looked quite mundane, and the other half had packaging with languages besides English and labels that were unfamiliar to both of them. “I think he’s taking a liking to Chinatown.”

“He’s always been the most adventurous of us.” Goliath rubbed his chin before taking a seat at one of her bare stools. They were perfectly shaped for Gargoyles and she was glad for it. It helped that most of her furniture could accommodate them already, but there were a few pieces she had a little bit of modifying that she wanted to do. 

“Really? I would think Lexington with all his technology would be the one to beat.” She turned to the stove and poked the bacon; the eggs needed another minute or so before they were ready but the toast had already popped, thankfully burnt free, from the toaster.

He hummed and seemed to think for a moment, “Lexington is more at home in the walls of the castle tinkering with his gadgets. Broadway likes to find new experiences.” He sipped from his cup, which she thought was a pretty little picture. “Particularly those he can consume.” 

His smile was also something she rather enjoyed seeing, but she would say her favorite was the nameless expression he had when he was deep in a book that interested him.

Goliath was a large man, his shoulders spanned nearly twice the length of hers and he stood a good head plus above her. His figure was cut nicely, and when his wings were thrown into the shadow she suddenly understood why crime had plummeted in certain areas for a while. 

When rumors of a winged devil had come to light, many had mocked the news as fake and heresy until the number of sightings and conflicts between the Clan and the perps had reached a point where even regular people on the street were wary of late-night travel.

“You know, that makes sense.” She grabbed a plate and put the eggs on top of the toast with the bacon to the side. “Here you go, mine will be ready in a minute so go ahead.” She passed the plate to him. “I know you weren’t truly in the sunlight today so you must be hungry.”

He smiled and nodded, taking the plate. “Thank you. I did not want to be spotted and have you put at risk.” She heard the softness of his words. He was always soft when it came to her and she appreciated it. She had enough men in her daily life who were rough with her, loud with her, and rude to her. Part of it was because of her profession, the color of her skin, and New York’s rhythm of life. 

“I’ve got home security, I only turn it off on the nights when I know you guys will be dropping by. You’re safe here, I promise.” She didn’t want to think about the emotion in his gaze, so instead, she turned back to the stove to get her plate ready. Once she prepared her plate, she took the stool next to him. “Please, let me know if you need more. I don’t know how much sunlight you got.” 

“I will be fine, do not worry. This is not my first day in the dark nor will it be the last. Though, I can see why Broadway enjoys your cooking.” It always amused her to see them handle her small utensils, though Broadway was getting adept at using chopsticks. 

She snorted, “Goliath this isn’t cooking, not real cooking. You should see the meals my mom puts out sometimes.” She took a bite. “This doesn't compare to that at all. Her traditional dishes are out of this world”

“I would like to try her cooking one day.” His tail twitched and his wings shifted with his words. “I do not eat many modern foods, but I am curious about ‘out of this world’ food.” 

They had a chuckle together. 

He had been getting better at picking up her lingo, and she enjoyed seeing him use it in his daily conversations with her. It was fun to watch them all grow and learn more about the world; they knew so little and yet so much, but the modern world was nothing like the Scottish background they all came from. 

“I’ve got the day off, mind if you take me to the castle? I want to see the others and Xanatos and I need to start working on a solution to this whole mess.” She watched his body language shift, his tail curled around the stool leg of the chair and his wings rippled even in their cape form. 

“Of course, you are always welcome. You are a member of the Clan.” He gave her a serious look that he had given the triplets when he had reprimanded them about the safety of the clan nearly a year ago. “I told you yesterday and I will tell you again, you are one of us. We will always welcome you in our halls.” His kind smile betrayed the sadness in his eyes. 

She took in a deep breath. “Thank you for last night. I-I was scared.” She took a bite to give her some time to think about how she wanted to continue. “I still am scared.” She looked at him. “I’m scared that you all will be taken away from me, to a place that I cannot help you or support you.”

Elisa took a deep breath, steadying herself. “I’m scared of being left alone and in the dark. I want to help you all, I want to support you. I love all of you, and, and it would hurt me to be separated, and I know it is selfish of me but hearing you say that I would be involved in Clan decisions gave me peace.”

She wiped away the angry tears that had escaped, and in turn reached for the talons he had extended. “So thank you, for last night. I needed to be comforted and you helped me.” She shook herself and took a deep breath. 

He once again seemed to think for a moment, choosing his words.

“Elisa, I don’t know any other way to convey this to you but you are important to us, all of us.” His eyes locked with hers and she had to shove down the instinct to squirm. It was almost too intense. He was always intense. “You are one of us. You have the right to vote in Clan matters.” 

His gaze seared through her. 

“We will not leave you out, please remember this.” 

She nodded and did not know how to continue the conversation. Too much soul had been bared, too much sadness had been shared. 

He seemed to pick up on her discomfort. “It will be okay, I also had a few things I wanted to run by Xanatos for the sake of the future of the Clan.” He had already chewed through half of his plate. Half of his coffee cup was also empty, 

She asked him, as she refilled his cup, “Oh? What are your ideas?” She truly was curious to hear, if they had the same ground in the argument it would be easier to appear in front of Xanatos and Fox.

“Much of New York is scared that we are simply rabid beasts.” That was a word she had taught him recently. “If we can show our ability to think and ‘problem solve’, humanity would have no choice but to accept that we think along the same lines as them.” His gaze pinned her. 

“Has there ever been a time where our-” he paused for a moment. “Where my clan has said or done something that you didn’t understand?” His tail thumped into the hardwood below his seat, belaying his emotions before he was ready to express them.

She had to think for a moment.

“To be honest, names were the first thing that threw me off balance, but that’s more culture-based than anything else. But when it comes to conflict and diplomacy I would have to say you’re more skilled than most humans I know.” She let out a little laugh. 

He nodded and she continued, “To have a name is to have something given to you from the beginning, an origin of sorts. Some people change their names later, either through marriage or because the name that was given to them doesn’t fit who they grew into.” She took a bite, chewing and thinking about other cases where she was confused with Gargoyle culture. Their actions made sense and Goliath was an excellent diplomat.

He nodded as if in approval, “Names have always been a clashing point between our cultures. The Queen or King of the castle gave me one, but no other needed a title.” He took a moment to think back. “We had positions and powers, or physical attributes that set us all apart but at the core, we were all siblings or mothers, or fathers.”

She nodded in agreement, she’d heard the explanation before when it concerned Angela. “Which makes sense, your Clan and culture were set up in such a way that names had no meaning. Though, I am glad you all have names now.” She smiled his way. “It makes it easier to talk about everyone without confusion.”

He took his plate to the sink, though it was nearly licked clean. “To be honest, we never had that problem before my kind began interacting with humanity. We had ‘names’ for each other but humanity did not understand them. If I were to call Brooklyn my son it has a different connotation to Humans than it does to Gargoyles. The Trio are my children just as I am the child of Hudson.” His eyes watched her closely as she processed the information. “We did not need names because our existence was based on who we were related to, and what place in the hierarchy we had.”

They had talked about naming conventions before, but he had never really sat down with her and discussed it in depth like this. 

“You know, that makes sense. To a degree I understand. Academy was similar in that we were given rankings, usually associated with our last names.” She thought back on her experiences, positive and negative, within the Academy. She watched as he settled back into the stool, and she leaned against the counter taking a bite of her bacon.

He seemed to read the air around her. “It is not the same as military, or police, because this is my people’s way of life but yes, you are not wrong. There is a ranking within the Clan and we have roles we are expected to fulfill.”

“Yeah, titles in Academy weren’t names but about position and skill.” She felt the realization overtake her. “Oh…”

He smiled from behind his coffee cup. “I was the only one to be given a name in my Clan, Princess Katharine’s father had given it to me.”

“I guess it’s just strange, to not have a name. Humans think about the names that they’re going to give their kids long before the kids are born, and sometimes before they are even pregnant.” She huffed a little laugh, thinking back to her school days with future husbands and the names of her future children scrawled in her notebooks.. 

“I think that is rather strange, how can you give someone a name if you have never met them?” He asked.

“That’s a good question. I don’t think I can really explain it that well. It’s just something that’s simply in my nature to want to name things. We humans name everything.” She let out a laugh. “Living or not, somehow it always gets named. I’m just glad I have something to call you by.”

“I too am glad. We may not understand the naming conventions of humans but it is nice to be an individual in the eyes of humanity. Though I believe my kind will continue to struggle with the human concept of mother and fatherhood.” His tail seemed to twist in knots as he stood up. “Our culture isn’t built on that ‘value’.”

She pondered for a moment. Multigenerational houses weren’t uncommon, but they weren’t often seen in America. “There are some human cultures that are similar to yours. Where everyone raises the children together but there is still usually a mother and a father, or two of both, in the picture.”

Once the coffee was finished and her plate placed in the sink, it was time to head back to the castle. But first, she needed to get dressed.

“I’m glad to have the day off.” She called from the bedroom, shedding her pajamas and slipping into a sundress. The nights were getting warmer the deeper they got into the summer. She made sure to grab her leather jacket, it may be warm but gliding with him would chill her for sure. 

He smiled her way. “We have not been able to have a quiet night together in a long while, I am sure the others will be glad to see you.” He opened the glass door to her balcony, a warm wind whipped through his hair and he had to adjust his wing cape. 

It was always a sight to see the wings unfurl to their full height.

“Do Gargoyles grow into their wings?” She came up from behind him, dragging her fingertips over the smooth, slightly warm, skin. 

He made a questioning sound, and he picked her up; “Grow into?” 

She slung her arms around his neck and nestled in for the ride. “Yeah, like how sometimes puppies have large feet, or kittens have huge ears, and when they grow up they become proportional. It happens in humans too.” She sucked in a breath as he gracefully stepped off the ledge and let the air fill his wings.

The sensation of falling while flying would never fail to make her stomach lurch, no matter how many times she had been with one of them as they took off. It felt wrong to feel her weight drop but to see the ground falling away from them.

She had to wait until they were high enough that the wind wasn’t howling in their ears. 

“Like I said, it happens to humans too. Remind me to show you some of my younger photos, I had the biggest buck teeth as a kid.” She laughed at the memory. 

“One could say that we ‘grow into’ our wings and tails. When we hatch we are similar to humans, though we develop a little faster.” He banked to the right to catch another updraft, thankfully the castle was close by. She had full faith in his ability to keep them safe, but more than once she couldn’t help but think ‘what if’.

“Huh! I guess that makes sense. You guys age slower than us humans.” She tightened her grip, looking down never failed to send her pulse racing. 

“You know I won’t drop you.” He chuckled and readjusted his grip. “I’ve never let you fall.”

“See here Big Guy,” she kept her tone light, she released one arm to poke his chest. “My people weren’t born with wings, and it’s a very long way down from all the way up here. And, that’s true.” She wrapped herself around his neck once again. “Even when we first met and we knew nothing about each other you still dove to save me.”

The city below was bustling, New York never slept as they said. She only hoped that the QuarryMen weren’t watching the skies tonight. For once, she just wanted some peace. She missed the boys and their antics, and she wanted to see Angela again. 

“Gargoyles one true purpose is to protect, and at that moment you needed it.”

“You’re damn right.”

It was nice to be wrapped up in his arms. This was how he usually carried her, ever since that first fateful night. She felt safe, protected, and shielded from the outside world when cradled in his arms. She’d seen him rip solid stone apart and yet he had never scratched her. She chalked it up to the duality of man. Well, Gargoyle. 

She laughed at her little internal note and shook her head when he looked to her to explain.   
Thankfully, the journey to the castle was uneventful and the rest were waiting for them to land on the roof of the castle. 

As Goliath touched down and let her find her feet, Hudson approached and clapped his great palms on Goliath’s shoulders. “Evening lass.” He sent her a wink. “Goliath, come with me, Xanatos and I have begun putting together a plan.”

“Of course. Show me what you all have come up with.” He left with a little smile and a nod in her direction. 

“Hey, Elisa.” Lexington was resting on his haunches, Brooklyn looking over his shoulder at the screen of the tablet in his hands. “Everything okay?” He had always seemed like the youngest of the trio to her, she couldn’t really place why either. 

“Yeah, I’m doing alright but I’m worried about you guys.” She answered, waving Angela over.

“Don’t worry too much about it, we will figure it out.” Brooklyn seemed so sure of him.

“You know, Goliath said the same thing.” She pulled Angela into a hug. “And how are you?” The young Gargoyle looked a little unsure as if trying to find the right words when her eyes landed on the braid that trailed over Elisa’s shoulder. 

“I could be better, but it’s okay-”

“I’m sure we’ll figure it out.” Elisa finished her sentence for her. “You all sound so much like Goliath, he really is your guys’ parent huh?”

The three let out a few laughs at that because she was right. A number of them had a few mannerisms she knew had come from him, but there were a few that she wasn’t sure. It reminded her that there were once so many of them, and all that remained were standing in front of her. Well, except for those on Avalon. 

“Elisa?” Angela let her go and examined her braid. “Who braided your hair?” She seemed wary of touching it. 

“Oh! Goliath did it last night after I cleaned up his wild mane.” She smiled at the memory of his face, smooth and relaxed in her mirror. “I think he did a pretty great job! Don’t you think?” She twirled around to show them the back of it.

The three were quiet for a moment before they started whispering amongst each other.

“What’s the matter?” She couldn’t read the air between them. 

Brooklyn gave Lexington a hearty slap that nearly knocked the smaller Gargoyle over. “I told you! He didn’t believe me!” He threw his head back and let out a whooping laugh. 

It was cut off quickly when Lexington slapped him back. The two started a small squabble, but over what she couldn't tell. 

“Angela? Help me out here.” The younger Gargoyle smiled at her before taking her hand.

“Let’s leave these two dunces behind. I think we need to have a little talk.” She led her into the castle.

Hopefully, she would get some answers about Goliath’s strange behavior last night and now the boys and their antics.


	3. The Wheels in Motion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I probably won't keep updating every day, but I also am writing this purely for myself at this point. Glad other people seem to be enjoying it too!
> 
> Thanks for the Kudos and Follows!
> 
> (As of May 27th, this Chapter has been edited by the lovely Missyjenne)  
> \--------------------------------------------------

He didn’t want to leave her so soon, but it was time for him to help lead his clan. There was a long battle ahead of them and they needed all the planning they could put in place to help secure their future. 

“Tell me old friend, who was it that braided her hair?” Hudson glanced his way, a smile hiding in his eyes.

Goliath debated how much to tell his mentor and friend but was interrupted by Xanatos turning the corner. 

“Ah yes, Goliath, just the man- well Gargoyle, that I wanted to see. Please, follow me.” He continued down the hallway. “Fox and I have put an order out to the New York police and media that if they do not have a warrant that is specific to you and your people then they cannot enter my private property.” He led them through an open door into what was the castle’s old war room. 

Fitting. “Do they know we are here?” He looked down at the old round table, and the ancient map that had been embossed into its wood grain. “Or have you led them to believe that we are elsewhere?” He asked.

“Currently it is only the police force that is aware that you are here. They do not know how many of you there are, your names, or any other information about you. Elisa’s partner is keeping his lips sealed, thankfully.” Xanatos rubbed the bridge of his nose. “So for now, we are safe. The police don’t want to cause further panic or end up with a scandal on their hands.”

Both Goliath and Hudson nodded, it made sense that any action the police would take would have a large ripple effect in society. 

“Xanatos, what do you have planned so far?” His tail twitched and his eyes darted to the live news feeds on the multiple TVs.

Fox’s voice came from the doorway, Alexander in her arms, “So far we have come up with a debate-style approach, where you would debate for your rights in a court of law.” She handed Alex off to Owen who had been standing behind her. “But before we do that we have to turn the tides of your guys’ publicity.” She flipped through the new channels. “Currently you have mixed reviews from people coming forward saying that Gargoyles had saved them or caused property damage.”

The news channel she landed on was an interview with a familiar face, she had been a woman that the Trio had saved from being mugged. She had initially been scared of them but once they had explained that they meant no harm and that she had better hurry home she had taken a liking to them.

Enough of a liking to come forward and speak about her experience with them. 

“Well yeah, I was scared. Who wouldn't be?” She threw open her arms. “A bunch of monsters come falling out of the sky and you are already being mugged, I don’t think I’ve ever been so scared. But, they saved me. Scary or not they protected me and I know I’m not alone.” There was conviction in her eyes. 

Fox switched the channel to a rerun of Macbeth’s debate with another female politician about the rights that the Gargoyles should be afforded. 

“We also have Macbeth on our side.” She moved to her husband’s side and leaned into him. “We just need to prepare you for the debate as well as keep the public’s interest positive.”

A low rumble came from Hudson before he spoke up, “Aye lass that is good n’ all, but for Goliath to debate in the court of law would he not have to be present?” He rubbed his chin, “That would put him at risk.”

“I trust the human’s to be fair, but I do not trust them to trust in me.” Goliath shifted his weight. “I have seen what humans do to what they fear and do not understand.” He didn’t want to relate his past to his present, but it seemed like time was too circular for his tastes. 

“That’s what Fox and I have been discussing, we could have a live video feed if the courts were to allow it.” He took his wife’s hand. “That way no physical harm can take place, or at least the threat of it.”

“Would that not expose you to the public as our ward?” He didn’t like how the word tasted in his mouth.

Xanatos shrugged, “That’s a risk I’m willing to take.”

“Myself as well.” Fox gave him a rare, genuine, smile. “Now, do you have any supporters besides us and Macbeth that we can call upon? Anyone from your travels perhaps?” She asked him. 

He, Elisa, and Angela had told the others parts of their journeys, but they hadn’t gone into the explicit details of them; there simply were too many and not enough time to recount everything accurately. 

“I have a few people whom we can call upon, some may not answer and some may be hard to track down, but we are not alone.” His pride swelled at the idea, that despite it all they had allies, powerful ones at that. 

“If you have any information that would make it easier to track them down, please, let us get down to business.” Xanatos released his wife’s hand and tapped the table, a screen appeared in midair. 

He knew it was technology, but magic had been so ingrained in their lives lately that it was hard to separate the two anymore. 

“First we should reach out to Natsilane, he and his people live on the Queen Florence Islands off the Western coast of Canada.” He remembered back to their journey there and how Nick had defeated the Raven.

Xanatos took down a quick note, “And what did you help him with?”

Goliath retold the tale as best he could, wishing that either Angela or Elisa were there to help him with the details. 

“Okay, I’ll start tracking him down.” With a swipe of his finger, he created a new folder and labeled the document with Nick’s name He turned to Fox, “Could you be a dear and go grab Elisa and Angela? I think they will prove helpful in gaps in the stories.” 

Soon they were all gathered and began to recall the journeys that Avalon had sent them on. Xanatos had also seen fit to start making a map of all of the locations that they had been sent to, as well as tagging names and general information as data points. 

“You’ve made some interesting friends, and know that I hold no grudge for what happened in Egypt.” He gave a sly smile with a raised eyebrow, Elisa rolled her eyes and sighed. 

“I would hope not, considering it’s a little late for that now.” She toyed with the end of her braid, eyes distant as she tried to think of more details, more people, anything that could help them. 

Goliath turned his attention to the TV screens, Fox was flipping through channels and trying to follow the flow of information. 

She glanced his way, “I’m trying to see what lies they are trying to spread. It’s easy to fight an enemy if one understands them.”

“Ahh yes, I have heard the expression, ‘one must think like a criminal to catch a criminal’ and that seems fitting in this case as well.” He was growing weary, they were running out of moonlight for the night. 

Angela and Xanatos were cross-referencing their current data, Hudson had gone off to make sure that the Trio hadn’t gotten into anything that would cause trouble or grief. 

They had accomplished a lot in one night, a solid start to what would probably be a long fight. 

“You know-“ Elisa broke his train of thought as she drew closer, “I’m beginning to think that Avalon sent us to all those places not only to help them, but to have them help us.” She leaned heavily into him.

“I can not help but think the same.” Without thinking he cupped the back of her head with his palm and pulled her into his chest. It soothed him to have her so close. “I only fear that it may not be enough.”

She looked up at him, “Don’t you dare say that. That’s no way to think, Big Guy.” She reached up and easily broke out of his hug to grab his face and pull it down to her level. “We will make this work.” A fire blazed in her, it warmed him to be so close and to be its focus.

Before she let go she tweaked his ears and smiled at him. 

“The sun will rise soon, Angela and I should take out positions.” Her words rang through him, and he didn’t want to think about the possible double meaning. 

She had overheard them talking and was already on her way over. “We should call it a night, let’s get some rest and we can start again tomorrow.” She pulled Elisa into a hug and wished her goodnight. 

It was an odd habit, he was sure it came from being raised amongst humans. He still had much to learn about the child and her ways and there was still much to teach her about Gargoyle life. 

Usually, it came in little, daily, lessons of easy to understand information. They had yet to come together as a clan and explain more important details like mating and death. There were strict rituals associated with both, and it was information the younger generation needed to know. 

Elisa gave him a smile and a shoulder pat, “Go get some rest, I’ll be staying here today and then heading back home. I have work tomorrow night so I don’t know how soon I can come back.”

“Don’t worry about us, we are safe here.” He took her hands in his. “Please, take care of yourself.”

“Oh don’t worry about me, Big Guy.” She took a deep breath and let it out in a winding sigh. “Catch ya later.” 

She turned back to the table and Xanatos, already launching into more explicit details about their journey through Nigeria and their experience with her mother and the Spider God.

It was time to go. He needed rest, and it would be nice to sleep knowing that the threat of being shattered was as close to zero as it could be. He made his way to the outside wall of the castle, he spotted that the rest of the clan had gathered. 

They were joking about something, even Bronx seemed to be enjoying himself. 

He slowly made his way over to them, enjoying the last of the night’s winds. It was nice to be surrounded by such familiar sights and smells once again; much had changed but the stone of his home had remained the same over the thousand-year rest he and the clan had gone through. 

“Hey, Goliath.” Brooklyn waved him over, he was sitting on his haunches next to Lexington who was still fiddling with the same device from earlier. “Now that we got you all alone, we’ve got some questions.” Goliath didn’t like the way he smirked. 

Hudson also threw in his earlier question, “Yes lad, I asked you about who braided Miss Elisa’s hair and have yet to hear the response.” He leaned back against the castle stones, a cool smile spreading across his face.

“Elisa told us it was you, is that true?” Lexington’s voice was brimming with excitement. 

Angela shot both of the boys a look, one that Goliath couldn’t read and it unsettled him. Had the three of them had a conversation about him and Elisa? Were they disapproving of his actions? He knew he had taken advantage of her naivety towards Gargoyle culture. 

Broadway asked, “Did she groom you too?”

He didn’t like the pressure, the invasive questions. He flared his wings and took a step back to put distance between them all and him. 

“Yes I did groom her, yes she did groom me. No,” He took a deep breath, “She does not know what it means to groom a Gargoyle and I would like it to stay that way.” He growled out. 

“Bu- but why?” Lexington gave Goliath his full attention. 

The others were also clamoring, calling him mad or daft, questioning why he would give up on her like that. They were all shouting trying to get in a word edgewise over the others and it was all too much for him. 

He threw back his wings and howled, “Silence.” There was no heat in his voice, only a booming sound that silenced the rest. 

“Listen carefully. There are many things that I want to give to Elisa, there are so many things I want to enjoy with her. There are too many things that she needs that I cannot give. I can give her a family but I cannot give her children. I can give her love but she will not understand that Gargoyles only love one until the end of time or until the one they loved changes beyond recognition.” His voice waved for a moment before he continued. “I love Elisa, just as you all do. I would not risk hurting her. Please. Do not interfere with this.”

He caped his wings over his shoulders, looking to each of their faces to make sure that they understood what he was asking of them. 

“Ah, yeah. Sure man.” Brooklyn put his hands up and backed away. “If that’s how you want it, yeah. Okay.” He hopped up onto his ledge.

“But, what if-“ Broadway started. 

Goliath’s heated gaze was all it took for his mouth to snap shut. 

“Okay, yeah. Fine.” He shook his head and extended a hand out to Angela. “Come on the sun’s rising.”

Lexington only sighed and looked away, stashing his device away in a leather satchel that he had taken to wearing across his body. 

Only Hudson was brave enough to approach him. 

“It’s okay lad.” He clapped a palm to his leader’s shoulder. “Everything has a time and a place, but the lass may have ideas of her own.”

He opened his mouth to ask what exactly Hudson meant when the sun peeked over the horizon, freezing the moment in time and space.

\--------------------------------------------------

Both she and Xanatos took a step back from the map and its fine-tuned data points. Fox had left earlier with Owen to handle Alexander and some other pressing business that honestly she didn't want to know about.

The less she knew, the easier it was to pretend that she knew nothing to begin with in the first place. 

“So, you and Goliath-“

“What of it? Have something to say?” She bristled, cutting off the end of his question. He was the last person she had expected to have a prejudice. Considering how he treated the Gargoyles like they were simply humans with a few appearance and behavioral quirks.

He put his hands up, “Hold on now Maza, I don’t mean it that way.” He turned to face the table, placing his hands open-palmed on the digitized wood. “Simply trying to ask a question. But your reaction answered it for me. The two of you traveled through time and space together, I expected something like this would happen.” His voice remained neutral. 

“What are you planning now? You’ve always got some Machevlian scheme up your sleeves when it comes to them.” She crossed her arms over her chest, trying to make herself look unimpressed. 

He sighed and shook his head, “How many times do I have to say it? I have no plans, no schemes, no ill will towards Goliath and the rest.” He looked over his shoulder. “They saved both lives of the only two people I truly love. Is that not enough?”

“Give a girl a break, we’ve been running into conflict after conflict with you over the past year. It’ll take a while to believe you.” She joined him by the table. “We really did go everywhere, huh?” She muttered in a quiet voice. 

“It doesn’t matter to me if you believe me or not. Surprisingly enough I’m doing this for them, not you.” She rolled her eyes at his sarcasm but refused to fire back at him. 

It took a little bit for the uncomfortable silence to get to him. “I wanted to ask you, and to be honest with me if it comes down to the line and we have to move them elsewhere, do you think Avalon would be the best bet?” He didn’t look her way as he asked his question, his eyes were flitting all over the map as if trying to decipher a pattern.

She chewed on her lip. “Goliath, myself, and Angela know the way to get there and we know that the Gargoyle clan will welcome everyone home with open arms.” She pushed a stray lock of her hair behind her ear and she leaned back. “Time passes differently there, so it would be a good place to hide until humanity, or at least America, is willing to see them as their own people.” It sounded like a good idea, but she knew Goliath and the others did not want to leave Manhattan. 

It was their territory now. 

“But, I doubt anything short of catastrophe will make them leave. You’ve heard Hudson and his declarations about how Gargoyle nature is to protect, no matter the personal cost.” She shook her head.

“Ahh yes, the millennia-old creed that he and most of his kind follow. I’ve only met two Gargoyles who do not follow such beliefs.”

“For your sake, I would not mention this plan to Goliath. I’m pretty sure it would make him angrier than you think.”

“He does have quite an impressive temper; I wonder if Angela fell too far from the tree or not in that sense.” He seemed amused at the thought. “Come, we’ve got to make some phone calls and put out requests. I also need your help in a little secret plan that I don’t want the Gargoyles knowing about.” He sent a wink her way. 

“I thought you said no more schemes?” She raised an eyebrow, questioning his motives once again. 

“Now now, this one is a good one I promise. Just let me explain as we head to my office.” He opened the door for her and gave her a little mock bow as she went through the opening before him. “I’m going to need you undercover cop expertise when it comes to this, and I think we will be a marvelous team together.” 

She didn’t like the way he sounded pleased with himself, like the cat that got the cream and the bird all in one fell swoop.


	4. The Way of Courage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there, thanks for dropping by and reading my ongoing project- 
> 
> I live and work in Japan so I feel really weird mentioning bushido in this chapter but fiction is fiction- at least in this case.
> 
> Either way, thanks for dropping by~
> 
> (As of May 27th, this Chapter has been edited by the lovely Missyjenne)  
> \--------------------------------------------------

The next time she saw them it was nearly a week and a half later. Xanatos’ little scheme had finally hooked its claws into the masses and she could take a step back and let the rumors work their way through word of mouth and online forums. She had talked to all the people that she needed to, and it was time to take a break. 

She had been pulling close to double shifts every day due to the massive amount of paperwork that the Gargoyles and the Hunters had caused. Not to mention that the QuarryMen were now trying to start rallies and the Gargoyle Task Force was also getting itself off the ground. She also had the side project to work on as well. 

She would have to buy Bluestone a beer and then some for all the work he was putting into the Task Force. He was on their side, and a secret ally to boot. His friend and past colleague Hacker also seemed to know more about Gargoyles than the average man on the street.

She planned on asking Bluestone the next time they were alone about Hacker. 

The rest she wasn’t sure she could trust to help her keep them safe. The GTF’s main course of action was to protect the people of Manhattan from the Gargoyles, even though the clan honestly needed the opposite at the moment. 

They knew that Xanatos had the Gargoyles, but where he had hidden them remained unknown. Thankfully. 

Elisa stepped into her apartment and shook off her red leather jacket while toeing off her shoes. She wanted to take a bath, but she didn't have time for that. It was just after noon when she had been sent home. 

Chavez had given her the next two days off, with strict instructions to not come into the office. She had warned her with suspicion if she kept up the crazy overtime and overworking herself. 

Xanatos wanted a report, in person, about how their little plan had been going along and what the GTF knew about the Gargoyles and what their plans were. Elisa had kept her head down, relying on Bluestone to help keep the attention off of her. 

She collapsed into her couch. Cagney curled up in her lap and kneaded her chest, purring as if his little life depended on it. 

Her eyes felt heavy in her skull, she was sure her bags were bruised dark. 

As soon as she had closed her eyes, she was being prodded awake. 

“Hmm?” Elisa cracked open one bleary eye to see the outlines of Brooklyn and Lexington. “Hey guys, sorry.” She shifted and Cagney protested. She felt her back realign as she stretched her arms over her head. “Shoot… I missed the meeting didn’t I?”

Brooklyn let out a chuckle, “Goliath told us not to worry, we know you’ve been busy. He sent us out to get you once the sun went down.” He extended a hand to help her up. Cagney had already given up on his nap and had moved to the next seat over. 

She was easily lifted to her feet.

“I’ve also been keeping an eye on you.” Lexington puffed out his chest, as proud as could be. 

“I thought you were all given strict orders to avoid being seen around me?” She questioned, concerned that he was putting himself and the others at risk. 

He pulled out the gadget he had been fiddling with the last time she had seen him. “I’ve gotten really good at getting into video feeds, specifically traffic light ones. I can see most of the city without having to leave the castle.” He smiled at her and tucked it away. 

“We wanted to make sure you were safe, even if we couldn’t be there.” At least Brooklyn had the decency to sound a little ashamed of his brother’s actions. 

She shook her head, “As long as you aren’t discovered and not using it to harm anyone, not that you would,” he had been ready to butt in, but snapped his jaw shut instead. “I don’t really mind and if it keeps you guys at ease then it’s fine.” She bit back her comments on privacy and how incredibly illegal it was for Lexington to access the security feeds of the whole city but at this point, there was little point in going off on a triad. 

“Let me get changed and then we can be on our way.” 

A quick costume change later and she was better dressed for the night air. It was still summer but the edges of fall were beginning to show. It always chilled the night air first and they had a little way to go.

“Here Elisa, you can climb on my back,” Brooklyn offered to her. They were outside on her balcony, getting ready to head out. 

She shut the door behind her, “What? Aren’t you going to carry me?” She made sure to keep her tone light. 

He bit his lip and did the little bounce from foot to foot he did when he couldn’t think of a good answer.

“Don’t worry, I’m only joking.” She gingerly wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned her body into his before wrapping her knees around his sides. “Ready to go!”

They took off and her stomach was once again left on the ground below. She would never get used to it, despite her love of and trust in them. 

It was a relatively quiet flight, the boys talking amongst themselves, but because she was on Brooklyn’s back it was a little hard to catch what exactly they were saying. She didn’t mind though, it was nice to just be carried through the night air towards the rest of the clan. 

The landing was a simple affair, only Angela greeted them in the main garden. 

“I missed you.” She wrapped Elisa in a tight hug. “I hope you’ve been able to sleep.” She held her at arm's length away and used her wing tips to gently touch the skin below her eyes, “But in times like this sleep is a rare commodity. You don’t get turned to stone and forced to rest like us.”

Elisa smiled, “There’s a job to be done and someone has to do it. Where is Xanatos?” She looked around the courtyard. “I missed our earlier meeting.”

“Oh don’t worry about that, we’ve been in calls all day making final arrangements for our allies to arrive.” She took her by the hand and motioned the boys to follow her. “They are in the War Room right now watching the News.”

It was the same room where they had begun all of their planning. 

“Hello, Detective Maza.” Alexander was wrapped up in Xanatos’ arms as he half turned to greet her. “Hope you had a lovely nap.” There was no edge to his voice, so it was possible that he was being sincere but it was always so hard to tell. 

“To be honest I don’t even remember falling asleep.” Lexington and Brooklyn chuckled and settled in to watch the nightly news. 

“Happens to the best of us.” He turned his full attention back to the TV, but Alexander was still watching her, waving a little fist in her direction. 

She smiled, “Hey Alex, hope you’ve been helpful.” She reached out a hand to him and he grasped her finger, trying to bring it to his mouth. 

“Here, can you take him for a minute. When Goliath gets back I need to run an idea past him.” He offered his son in her waiting arms. “He’s one of the best diplomats I have ever had the pleasure to debate against, he almost always finds a flaw in my argument or tells me where he thinks a real human judge would have gone.” He rubbed his chin. “We’ve both learned much about each other in the past two weeks I would say.” 

Alex settled into her chest, resting his head on her shoulder with one hand grabbing a lock of her hair. He didn’t pull it like she expected him to. He burbled something and she cooed back. 

“He’s rather large for not even being a year old.” Angela also reached out for him to grab her talon, careful not to prick him. 

“Fox and I think it’s due to his status as a Halfling and that Owen practices magic with him regularly. Not that we are complaining; he is my son and I love him no matter the age, but I would appreciate an older child more.” At least he was honest with his opinion, though he had always seemed to treat Alex like a tiny man rather than a baby.

“They grow up sooner than you think.” Goliath walked in from the other doorway. “I remember when the Trio hatched, it didn’t take long for them to get big and always be underfoot.” He sent a raised eyebrow towards each of them. 

They both grimaced but didn’t comment further. 

“I just got done speaking to Talon, and he is fully behind our plan and wants to keep the clones away from the media. He is fine with his clan appearing before cameras and making a statement, the homeless in their encampment also want to come forward and support us. They view him as their protector and life has been easier there in the past few months since they settled into the sewers and abandoned tracks.” His tail twitched behind him, and his wings kept clasping and unclasping across his chest. 

“Excellent, they can join the growing Pro Gargoyle Movement that we’ve been sowing into the city.” He sent Elisa a smile, “You are just in time, I hear there is a protest happening outside the clock tower.” He switched one of the TV channels over.

“Hello New York,” the announcer was a rather pretty African American woman whom Elisa didn’t know. “This is Martha Johnson with breaking news, I am broadcasting live in front of the NYPD’s 23rd precinct building.” The camera panned over to view a growing crowd of protesters.

Bluestone stood at the top of the stairs, a podium stood before him and it was crowded with one too many microphones. It was nearly impossible to hear him over the yelling of the crowd and Elisa winced, he was one of the good guys.

“Oh man, I feel sorry for him.” The others sympathized with Lexington, it wasn’t his fault that he was acting as a double agent for them right now. 

“As you can see, several people have gathered here tonight and many of them are Pro Gargoyle. I have called over one of the members who was willing to appear and defend the groups actions; please, Mr. Robbins.”

Surprise rippled through the Gargoyles. They knew him as a friend to the clan but had never expected him to come forward on their behalf. 

“Where’s Hudson?” She couldn’t take her eyes off the screen. She wanted him to see the fruits of their labor. 

“He’s currently helping Fox set up accommodations for our guests who will be coming in the next week, we’ve got both Gargoyles and Humans that will be coming to stay with us.” Xanatos waved his hand. “Now shh, I want to see this play out.”

“So Mr.Robbins, can you explain what is happening here tonight?” The reporter moved the microphone to be in front of his mouth. 

“We’ve all decided enough is enough and that sentient life’s value should not be debated.” He answered coolly.

It had taken a lot of effort to have Hudson admit to the clan that the man who taught him to read was Mr. Robbins. It had also taken a lot of effort to curb his desire to protect his friend, and allow him into the spotlight. The two of them had kept it a secret from the rest of the clan, not wanting to deal with too many cooks in the kitchen. 

She rocked Alex back and forth, prying his sticky hands out of her hair and kissing his little chubby fist. Elisa had always enjoyed children, and Alex was no exception. She could feel Goliath’s burning gaze on the back of her head. To be honest, it was nice to be the central focus of his desire, and Angela had given her some ammo against him.

“But how can we be certain they are sentient?” The reporter pushed on, trying to pull the rug out from under him. 

“Well, if we’ve got time I’ve got a little story for you.” Gilly, his seeing-eye dog, settling onto her haunches. As if she seemingly knew that her master was going to take some time to tell his tale. 

Martha seemed unprepared for such a statement, “Ah, yes we do have a little time. I would like to interview other members of your gathering though.” 

He nodded along, “Let us be clear this is not my gathering, we do not have one central leader.” That was a little bit of a lie, but Elisa needed to keep her identity secret for a little while longer. “We are all people who have had positive experiences with the Gargoyles of Manhattan and simply want to see them protected as they protected us.” 

It was odd to see a professionally trained reporter be speechless;, at least Robbins had the grace to not make a scene. 

“It started a few months ago when I came upon a sick man close to my home. Now, I knew he was sick because his voice was weak and he had a hard time supporting himself but he refused medical care and refused to let me touch him. As you can see, I am blind, so I had no real way to identify the man besides what he told me. Gilly here is how I move through the world.” She thumped her tail at the mention of her name but did not move beside that. “Now this man got better, told me to call him Hudson, and that he wanted to be my friend. I came to know him quite well and he admitted to me that he couldn’t read.”

The reporter nodded along, making sounds to know that he could hear her listening and paying attention. 

“In teaching him to read it inspired me to get back into writing and to see my life in a new light. I wasn’t born blind and the transition was hard. But, his friendship warmed something in me. I knew he was not a normal man, but I never asked. He told me when he was ready. Told me that he was a Gargoyle and that he and his clan were here to protect New York.” He gave the reporter a dazzling smile. “He also told me other interesting stories about protecting New York but I feel like I’ve taken up enough of your time tonight.” 

Elisa could feel her heart in her chest, and her knees began to shake. This was the starting point, they were pushing the boulder off the ledge and there would be no way to stop it. 

Goliath padded forward, she could hear his talons click gently against the stone floor. His hands on her shoulders didn’t surprise her, but his wings wrapping around her did startle her a little. He kept them folded just so her face peeked out but the warmth and comfort helped to steady her as the scene unfolded on the screen. 

Alexander let out a giggle and touched the material, unphased in its strangeness. Though to him it was probably normal, half of his playmates were Gargoyles after all. 

“Thank you Mr.Robbins this has been a fantastic interview and an interesting perspective. Are there any others in yo-” she corrected herself. “In the group that are willing to come forward with personal statements like yours?”

He smiled kindly at her, “Of course, I shall go grab a few. I’ll be back in a moment.” Gilly stood up and shook herself off before guiding him back to the gathering.

“What an interesting turn of events, I hope you at home are as interested as I am to hear what the others have to say about first-hand encounters with the Manhattan Gargoyles. Please stay tuned for more after this quick commercial break.” 

The broadcast ended and a late-night commercial trying to sell a multi-level cake pan came on instead. 

Xanatos turned down the volume and turned to her, “Elisa I think you’ve done it.” He gave her a smile, a real smile. 

She shook her head, leaning further into Goliath for support. He peeled back his wings a little. “I did nothing, Mr. Robbins should be the one you thank.”

“Oh I am going to thank him, don’t you worry about that.” Had he said it in any other tone her skin would have crawled. “But you helped bring the common people of New York together in the Pro Gargoyle Movement.”

The Gargoyles in the room all looked to her.

“I’ve been busy this past week.” She smiled, almost embarrassed to admit it. “After I finished my normal workday I told Bluestone that I was going to gather information about Gargoyles and their interactions with the locals here.” He had been partly in on her idea, just enough that he greenlighted her extra hours, but not enough to get him into trouble if it ever was traced back to her. 

“I went around acting like I was trying to gather information to damn the Gargoyles, but instead was trying to find as many people as possible who had to interact with all of you and were thankful. Mr.Robbins was the one who helped me get in contact with a majority of them. For a blind man, he is certainly well versed in online forums and chat boards.” She let out a little laugh and a shrug. 

“So that’s why you’ve been bouncing around to different parts of the city.” Lex scratched his head, clearly thinking back to having watched her through the surveillance systems he had hacked into. 

“Yup, spent the better part of the last three days organizing for the protest and also getting myself forcibly removed from the office with strict orders to rest. It meant I would have less of a chance of running into the people who I had worked so hard to gather together.” She let out a long breath. 

“Elisa…” Brooklyn was looking at her with awe. “You are amazing. We hadn’t even considered getting the people we’ve helped in New York to help us.”

“It was originally Xanatos’ idea.” She gestured to him.

“Ideas are simply ideas, it’s the people who put them in motion who matter.” Fox came from around the corner, she slid an arm around her husband’s waist. 

“Couldn’t agree more with you, my dear.” He kissed her temple. “Preparations are complete?”

She nodded, “Hudson is putting the finishing touches together for the Gargoyle inhabitants we will be hosting but everything else is ready. I’ve even put in the food order to the catering business.”

She felt his voice before she heard it, “While you have been rallying the people we have been reaching out to those we helped on Avalon’s journey. There were a few we could not contact. For obvious reasons.”

“Well, we did help some Gods and Goddesses so that doesn’t surprise me.” She rocked Alexander in her arms, he had gotten a little squirmy after spotting his mom across the room. “Do you want to go to your mama?” She asked him. 

The boy nodded and reached out, babbling away. 

Goliath’s wings peeled back enough so she could hand over the child to his mother’s waiting arms. 

“There were also those who we thought it best to leave them out,” Xanatos added. “We are having the largest conflict with the Ishiguro Clan, mainly because of how Taro handled his little theme park attempt.” He moved away from his wife and pulled up a screen. “I am currently negotiating with Sora and Kai and neither of them want to put their Clan at risk.”

“I understand where they’re coming from, they probably have the largest clan in the world. They’ve been living alongside humans peacefully for quite a while.” Elisa commented, looking through the data list.

“Which is precisely why we need their support. Their evidence is irrefutable!” Xanatos banged his fists angrily on the table. “We need to talk some sense into them.” 

She thought back, trying to find something that would convince them to give up their peace. Something that would balance out the risk that they would be taking. 

“What if we appealed to their sense of justice?” Angela spoke up. “The Clan follows a very strict Bushido code. I learned a little bit about it while we were there.” She nervously shifted her weight. “One of the main tenets I heard a bit about was Heroic Courage. I didn’t really understand it but thinking about it, it reminds me of Chivalry which the Princess taught my siblings and me as we grew up.”

Elisa also started sifting through her memories, trying to remember the snippets that they had taught. “I remember that too, the focus was that being hidden wasn’t truly living. One of the Gargoyles I met talked about how it was a shame that they couldn’t be free.”

“You’re both geniuses.” Xanatos began taking down notes. “That’s the perfect angle, we aren’t revealing Gargoyle-kind simply because we want to, but because we’ve been forced to.” He turned his full focus to the screen. 

Lexington and Brooklyn were quietly whispering between themselves, Elisa couldn’t quite make out what they were saying. Hudson had clapped a hand to Broadway’s shoulder and was telling him about the preparations, and asking for a little help moving some furniture around as his old bones just couldn’t do it on their own anymore. 

“Goliath?” She peered over her shoulder.

“Yes, Elisa.”

“Could you follow me?”

“Always.” Tension slipped from his face as she took his hand and led him out the door, Angela sent a wink her way. She tried to not let it frazzle her. 

Out of the corner of her eye she watched as Angela approached Fox, arms open and wanting to take Alex. 

She led him to the edge of the castle wall, where they had first met and she had been flung into the night sky after it had crumbled away. 

“Come closer, it’s a little chilly.” She let go of his hand and pushed her back into his chest. Almost by instinct his arms and wings wrapped around her and pulled her in tighter. “Much better.” She melted into him. 

They stood, quiet for a little bit. It was nice to enjoy the night air with the city bustling below. 

“We’re doing it.” She murmured. 

“We’ve only just begun.” He rested his chin on the crown of her head. “But it is a very good beginning. We have good allies and Xanatos has truly proved himself to be doing what is best for the Clan.” She liked feeling him talk, the rumbling reminded her of Cagney quite a bit.

“Never thought we would see the day.” She laughed a little. In a quiet voice, she added: “Goliath, I’m scared.”

“As am I.” He hugged her tighter. “I am no stranger to Human and Gargoyle conflicts. We were never viewed as-“ he trailed off, trying to think of the word. “As citizens with rights. We simply existed and did as our creed demands. Gargoyles protect-“

“It is our nature, our purpose. To lose that is to be corrupt, empty, lifeless.” She finished his quote for him. He chuckled. “I almost wish this hadn’t happened.” She shifted her arms so she could wrap them around his and grip his forearms. “I wish you guys could have stayed my secret.”

He sighed, “Something would have happened, something worse could have happened.”

She knew he was right. They were all alive after the attack; alive but not intact. “We should visit Jason, I feel horrible about what happened to him.”

“As do I.” He rumbled. She was sure it weighed heavily on his mind, had he not protected Goliath who knows what would have happened. 

“Maybe we can also get his and his sister's support; if they are willing to give it that is.” Both seemed remorseful for having dragged the Manhattan Clan into their hunt for Demona. 

Demona had been quiet for a while. They hadn’t seen her or caught word of her since she tried to wipe out the human race with the virus she had created. 

“I also worry about their brother, we don’t know what he’s become after that night. He was mad with grief and a man who feels like everyone has turned against him…” He trailed off, his voice a little distant. 

“Maybe we can help him too.” She shifted to look up at him. “It’s the best thing we can do, maybe he can help us convince the QuarryMen that their hate for Gargoyles is unfounded.”

He thought for a moment. “I was as disturbed as the others at how quickly the QuarryMen formed after the Hunters had given up the Hunt. Do you suppose?” He let the question hang in the air between them. 

She had never given it a second thought as to who might have formed the QuarryMen. It had never crossed her mind, they had all been so busy making arrangements and keeping everyone hidden and safe. 

The thought of it made her blood run cold. 

“Tomorrow we should visit Jason. I have the day off. I’ll spend the day here and then at sunset we can visit him. He had a room with a large window access.” She turned around in his arms to face him. “If we can get the people to support Gargoyles and get the QuarryMen to see the fault in their ideology, then maybe. Just maybe. We can have peace.”

She liked the hope in his eyes, it was a nice look. Inspiring even.

It felt like the perfect moment to lean in and kiss him. 

Instead, she reached up and ran a hand through his hair.

He looked so vulnerable and she felt exposed. This wasn’t his reflection she was looking into, she could see the fine details of his face relaxing and his head leaning into her touch. She could see the twitch of his lips and the lazy blink of his eyes as he stared deep into her. 

“Elisa-“

She shushed him. “Let me enjoy myself.”

He nodded and closed his eyes, letting her have her way with him. 

Elisa watched and felt the shivers that shifted through his body with each drag of her fingers, particularly his wings. Now and then they would twitch and bring her in closer until she was almost squeezed tight against his body. 

It was nice. It was intimate in a way that she had never felt before. She imagined that it was what being wrapped up in a weighted blanket felt like. The cruel world was cut out and she was protected by them, and there was little to no space between them. 

His rumbling filled the quiet nicely, he really was just like a cat.

She gave his hair one last pass before tweaking his ear. 

When he flinched she let out a little laugh and rested her head on his chest. “Please, just let me enjoy myself.” She whispered.

He took in a deep breath, “Anything for you.”


	5. The Feeling of Wing Tips

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there! I took a few liberties in this chapter~
> 
> Hope ya'll don't mind
> 
> (As of May 27th, this Chapter has been edited by the lovely Missyjenne)  
> \--------------------------------------------------

Goliath did not like to think about the last time he had been at this hospital in particular. The scent of Elisa’s blood had been burned into his memory, and he still did not like the serial smell of the cleaning chemicals that did little to mask the scent of death and suffering. 

There were happier smells underneath. Like the smell of a newborn, but it was buried deep below the rest. 

He wondered what floor it was on. 

Elisa was quick to open the window for him from the inside. She had requested to visit him while Goliath had waited outside. 

“Hello, Jason.” He rumbled his greeting, looking at the man on the bed. He certainly looked better than the last time Goliath had seen him.

“Hey Goliath, thanks for dropping by.” He extended a hand for Goliath to shake. Golaith’s four fingers didn’t quite slot into a comfortable grip for a handshake, but they made due. “Elisa, it’s good to see you.” There was a warmth in his voice that nearly made Goliath rattle his wings. 

He quelled his instinct. “We wanted to check in on you, and we have a few questions as well.” 

Elisa pulled up one of the plastic waiting chairs and sat beside him. Goliath took position behind her, with the door in his full view just in case. 

“Of course, I’m willing to help with anything I can.” He smelled sincere.

“We appreciate it, I’m not sure if you’ve seen the news-“

“I’ve got a TV right over there, I’ve been able to follow all the action,” He placed a hand on hers. “Don’t worry, you don’t need to fill in any gaps for me.”

It took all of his will and dignity to not growl, the two had something going on between them. It was not his place to make decisions for her, she had every right to pursue any man she wanted. She had never promised him anything, even the night before. Her actions had spoken of one outcome but he would never assume, could never assume. 

“Jason,” Goliath spoke up, “Do you know where your brother is located?”

The man froze and his lips pursed. “Sadly I don’t know exactly where he is right now.” He didn’t smell of either a lie or a truth.

“Do you know what he’s been up to?” Elisa continued for him. 

“Well, yes. My sister and I made a discovery the other day that neither of us are too pleased with. We abandoned the Hunt, my sister and I.” His throat bobbed as he swallowed. “Our brother hasn’t, and he’s taken it a step further.”

Goliath knew where this was heading, and he didn’t like it. 

“He formed the QuarryMen, didn’t he?” Her voice was soft, sad, and it made him want to reach out to her. 

Jason nodded, clearly ashamed of his brother’s action. “Yes. He knows everything there is to know about Gargoyles, or at least what had been passed down by our forefathers.” He shifted himself in the bed. 

“Do you think-“

“No.” He shook his head. “I don’t think he can be stopped. My sister is trying to find him, trying to tell him he’s going the wrong way and that he needs to come back home. I don’t think he will listen at this point. Not after-“ he looked down to his legs. “Not after what he did.”

“I understand. It is hard to look at one’s actions and take responsibility. I too have lost family because of that reason.” Demona, once his Angel of the Night, now an enemy to mankind and his clan alike. “Responsibility is heavy and if you think he cannot bear it, what do you think we should do?” He wanted permission. For that, if the time called for it, there would be no regret from his allies if he were to have to end the man’s life. 

Jason looked out the window into the night sky. “I will have to talk with my sister about that.” 

Elisa nodded. “It’s okay, we get it. It isn’t easy having a loved one doing all this damage.”

Goliath knew that everyone in the room had once been betrayed by family, whether the betrayal was intentional or not was up for debate. It was not a train of thought he wanted to follow. 

“We also wanted to ask if you would come forward and testify that Gargoyles are sentient.” She leaned forward in her chair. “It would help us, both you and your sister and your family’s knowledge, it would act as a bolster to the protests, and would help support us in a historical context.”

Elisa was right, many of the eyewitnesses had only interacted with his Clan for a short amount of time. The long term knowledge simply wasn’t available, unless the Ishimura Clan stepped forward. He much preferred their support as they were neither hunters or hunted, but Jason’s family history was long and certainly had detailed documents about Gargoyles. 

“Of course.” He didn’t hesitate with his answer. “I can’t speak for my sister but I am more than willing to help you in any way you need.” He looked to Goliath. “My family may have hunted your kind, but we also kept diaries about what we discovered about your people.”

Goliath stiffened. It was what they needed, but the idea of having been studied from an outside perspective sent a chill down his spine. 

“Perfect, thank you.” She clasped his hand as she stood up. “I’ll drop by more often to lend a hand when I can.”

“Don’t worry about me, you’ve got bigger fish to fry.” He looked to Goliath. “I’m serious, I’ll do anything you need me to. I want to see you and your people have rights and liberties, it’s only fair after all you have done for us.”

“It is simply our nature.”

\--------------------------------------------------

They hadn’t talked about what had happened the day before. He could smell the stress radiating off of her as he held her close. It was bitter even against the smells of the city below. He knew she would talk about it when she was ready, but it put him on edge.

He was uncertain of what she wanted and what he could give her. He wanted to give her everything he could, but that might not be enough. 

Elisa had said before that she wanted a family, children, and a home all her own. He could not offer her any of the things she wanted, and she was already considered a member of the Clan and therefore family.

Gargoyles do not deal with money, the only reason why the London clan did was that they had to pay for their land to keep their identities secret. As he had said to the Trio and Hudson before, he did not want to risk their friendship.

He could not help but want more. Goliath knew he would love no other, it simply wasn't in his nature. Demona would always have a place in his heart as well. They had spent too much time away from one another and she had been damaged, broken, and reshaped into a being he no longer recognized. 

It pained him to leave her behind. It pained him that Elisa did not see him the way he saw her.

The night before grated against him, whispered dark hopes that maybe she did, maybe she wanted him just as badly. It whispered about how she had groomed him, without him asking. The memory of it sent shivers down his spine and into the tip of his tail.

He shifted his grip on her, pulling her closer into his body as he banked around a particularly high building. 

“The drafts are strong tonight.” She gripped him tighter. 

“Indeed, the seasons are changing.” Fall would soon be on them, the days were growing shorter. He and his clan would have more time awake. More time to spend with her. 

Time with Elisa was a double-edged sword; how he adored simply being with her, but the extended time together reminded him of what he did not have. He was selfish in keeping her in the dark about what they did together and what it meant to him when it did not mean the same thing to her. 

Humans groomed each other with no mind to the intimacy of it. Instead, humans kissed to show their affection, he had seen so many times during their nightly patrols and in the movies, the Trio liked to spend time watching. Even Hudson had taken an interest in a human drama about roommates and their internal squabbles, with love interests being one of them. 

The castle came into view and he took them higher to circle around it. 

“It’s strange.” She hummed a questioning sound. “To see if above the clouds like this. We have been awake for only a year. I spent nearly three decades with the castle backed by an oceanside cliff.” The year had both been long and short in its ways. 

“I can’t imagine sleeping for a thousand years. So much happened and you all had no clue.” She had once protected him when they had been in the park together and there hadn’t been enough time to get back to the castle. 

He flared his wings and landed on the battlement, being sure to place her gingerly on her own two feet. 

Goliath wished he could hold onto her longer. 

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she turned to face the city. “Humanity did so much while you were all asleep. You all amaze me, you know that?” Elisa looked over her shoulder at him. 

“What do you mean?” He caped his wings and moved to stand next to her. 

“That you all came from a time before electricity, cars, before America was even a country, and yet you all have adapted so well. You stumble sometimes but once Xanatos or I or others explain it to you…” She trailed off like she couldn’t find the words to explain her emotions. 

“Elisa.” One of his wings reached out to touch her shoulder. “We had no choice. Either we adapt or we don’t. What is the point of continuing our lives? Humans have made many fantastic and terrible things, and I know I am not alone in wanting to explore them.” The others had taken well to the world around them, only Hudson had his reserves, but who could blame the old one. 

“But still.” She covered the wingtip with her hand. “I never really thought about it and I want to tell you and the others how…” He let her find her words. “Impressed and envious I am of you.”

Before he could ask what she meant Angela appeared and wrapped her up in a large hug. 

“Good evening!” Elisa laughed out as she was spun around. 

“How was the hospital visit?” Angela’s eyes flicked to him before she set Elisa down. 

“Pretty good I’d say, Jason’s going to support us and he’s going to ask his sister to help as well.” She looked to her feet, “We also found out who the leader of the QuarryMen is.”

It had not been the news that either of them had wanted to hear from Jason, but he was glad for it. They had a face and a name to be aware of, the leader was no longer a mysterious shadow that haunted them. 

“Oh.” She grabbed Elisa’s hand. “Let’s get some tea, and talk about it. I also want to talk to you about something else.” She pinned Goliath with her eyes. “Privately.”

He put his hands up, “I need to speak with Xanatos. Shall I tell him who the leader is?”

“If you could, please. Maybe we can begin tracking him so he won’t be able to sneak up on us.” He nodded and left the two, still curious about what Angela wanted to ask Elisa, but she had indeed inherited his temper. 

Xanatos was easy to find, he hadn’t strayed too far from the War Room in almost three weeks. 

“Evening.” He called out without looking up from the screen. 

“Where are the others?” Goliath asked. He only spotted Bronx laying in the corner. 

“Out on reconnaissance; I got in contact with Mr. Robbins today, and the boys went out to get him. I got a tip that someone would target him in the next few days.” He rubbed his chin in thought. “Do you know someone named Vinnie?”

The name felt familiar but he was unsure. “I would have to see the man to know for sure, though his name does sound familiar.” Golaith rounded the table, casting a glance over the map and data they had gathered. Xanatos continued, “either way, I am irked that I hadn’t thought of protecting Mr. Robbins. He is a valuable asset for us as he is a respected author and war veteran.” He stretched his neck and shoulders. “I should have-” he stopped himself. “Only fools deal in ‘should have’.” 

Despite their past conflicts, Goliath had to respect Xanatos. 

“Elisa and I discovered who the leader of the QuarryMen is.” Goliath spoke. Xanatos straightened his back and faced him. “It’s Jon Carter.”

Xanatos stiffened. “Ah, that makes sense.” He couldn’t read his tone. Xanatos was a man of many faces, but Goliath trusted him to keep the Clan safe. 

“If we keep him under watch, we may be able to predict his movements.” 

“I’ll get Lexington on it once he gets back. You’ve got quite the hacker on your hands with him; he even impresses me sometimes, and he’s gotten my security beefed up to be stronger than ever.” He turned to the table and began typing, taking down more notes. 

He didn’t understand the use of ‘beefed up’, but decided that it would be better to ask Elisa rather than bother the man again.

There was little else he could do to help. He headed to the library. During his free time, he had been researching past trials of people who had been ‘discriminated’ against. That was also a word that Elisa had taught him. Goliath had never thought of himself as a minority, a thousand years ago his kind had numbered amongst the thousands, maybe even more. 

Avalon had also taught him that there were quite a few more Gargoyles left in the world and he was glad for it. Now, it was time to protect them all.

Xanatos had a well-stocked section of past court cases, for what reason Goliath did not want to know. He was only glad that they were there. He considered himself a seasoned reader of classical literature and even some more modern works but the legal terms used in a majority of the papers meant he kept a dictionary on hand to help him understand exactly what was being said. 

The Civil Rights Act of 1866 was his current focus. Slavery was not something new to him, it had happened in his ancestral lands but it had been because of war. The Vikings were also well known for catching, keeping, and trading slaves. In Castle Wyvern there had been a few indentured servants, and a few were prizes of wars. The slavery that was based on the color of skin or one’s country of historical origin was something he had never thought of. 

His kind didn’t have centuries of abuse and discrimination. Many of the Clans that survived today had done so in secrecy and therefore didn’t have the generations of abuse or the cultural tensions. 

Gargoyles were feared and then in turn hated; humans usually hate the things they do not know.

Reading that America had started a war with itself, nearly ripping itself in two over whether or not slavery was legal or not was chilling. Each step in giving African Americans their rights had cost the blood of thousands of men and women. His kind’s battle could not compare.

He buried his face in his hands.

This is how Elisa found him. 

“Hey there Big Guy, you doin’ okay?” She leaned onto his shoulder. His wings weren’t caped, instead, they were resting limply against his back. 

He peeked out from behind his claws. “I am coming to terms with the depth of human cruelty.” Humans were still a young race, still learning and working within itself. His kind had walked the earth long before theirs and even his kind was still learning, so he could not blame them; would not blame them. 

She looked at the books he had piled on the small desk. 

“Yeah, reading up on the Civil War and the Civil Rights Act huh?” She rested her hand on the back of his head. “I have a few materials I can suggest, they are a little more modern but still relate to racism. Have you read anything by Martin Luther or Malcolm X? Their stuff is focused around African Americans fighting for their rights even in modern times.”

“I wanted to start at the very beginning.”

“I can understand that, but Goliath, people have spent their whole lives learning about this, studying it and debating it; even today we aren’t done fixing the damage of the past and we don’t know when we will be done.” She pulled her fingers through his hair and he had to close his eyes. “There are some things in these books and articles that can help you and your kind, but fundamentally it’s different.” She was right. This was violence towards humans from humans, and he was not a member of their race. 

Her hand shifted from his hair to his wings, dragging her fingers down the wing edge. 

He had to stop the full-body shiver that she was dragging out of him. She had no clue how sensitive wings were, he could equate them to a second set of hands with twice as many nerves. They had to feel the current and temperature of the air and react almost immediately. 

Goliath shifted so her touch had more pressure; he needed more, wanted more. He was hungry for touch so intimate and willing, but it hurt to know that it was because she was naive and could not know how it made him feel. It was wrong. It was so wrong. 

“I’m going to say something really weird, and I need you to think about it before you say anything.” 

It caught him off guard in his internal spiral, but he nodded. 

She took a deep breath, “We should look into what rules have been put in place in case alien life is discovered.” Elisa waited for him to take a breath. “Because then we would have guidelines to prove that you guys are sentient, that you can think for yourself and have emotions.”

To be honest, Goliath hadn’t considered that route. He hadn’t assumed that humanity was ready to welcome people from beyond rather than those that had been on the Earth long before them. 

He looked up at her, “You are right. I am ashamed to admit I had not thought of that.” He wanted to be angry, he wanted to rage and ask her how dare she compare his people to an alien race, but she was right. They were aliens to humans. “Thank you, I’ve been studying the wrong material.”

“No no, you haven’t. This is important to me, that you understand racism in America.” Elisa’s face was open and too vulnerable. 

“What do you mean?” He was confused; what did this have to do with Elisa? 

“My heritage, I’m African American and Native American.” She moved her hand back to his hair. “I face a lot of racism, but I don’t want to talk about it now. This isn’t the place or time to unpack that. I just want to say I am glad you are learning and studying, this means a lot to me.” She smiled at him in a new way, it was deeper than he expected. 

“Elisa, I want to know everything I can about you.” She already knew so much about him. “I am a stranger in these strange lands and you have always helped and supported us. I only wish to help support you as well.

She let out a little laugh, “You do, don’t worry. You help more than you know. Come on, the Trio has brought Mr. Robbins back and he wants to speak to all of us.” She extended a hand for him. 

He took it and felt his bones shift as he stood up. 

“I feel like I have been here for ages.” He rolled his neck and flexed his wings, the joints aching from the crunched position they were in. 

Elisa let out a good laugh. “Ages you say! You slept for a thousand years!”

He chuckled with her, “Sleeping is a world apart from studying.”

“You know what, you’re right. Come on, let’s see the rest.”


	6. The Reality of Candles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for comments and bookmarks, it warms my heart!
> 
> (As of May 27th, this Chapter has been edited by the lovely Missyjenne)  
> \--------------------------------------------------

The next day was incredibly busy with the Gargoyle Task Force having to make public statements denouncing the QuarryMen. Bluestone and Elisa had been able to convince the others that the Quarry Men should be considered rogue vigilantes.

“They took justice into their own hands, without taking their complaints before a judge and a jury.” Elisa slapped both of her palms down on the table. “Historically we have disavowed groups such as these.” Bluestone nodded along.

“The QuarryMen formed for what exactly? Do we have an official statement?” Bluestone looked around the room

“Word from the street is they want to destroy the Gargoyles.” Morgan shifted through his notes. “They have made no official statement to the NYPD as far as we are aware.”

“This is why they are dangerous. They won’t even give their mission statement. Doesn’t that seem suspicious to you? They only want to destroy the Gargoyles. We can’t let them take the law into their own hands.” It was hard to control her anger. She needed them to agree with her. 

It would give Xanatos more ammo in getting the Gargoyles' status as a race apart from humans. 

As she had suggested, Goliath had looked into protocols for extraterrestrial life. Xanatos had also begun his research as well, but he was quiet about it. Maybe he didn’t want to get their hopes up. 

Martin was quiet and it unsettled her. He was a man with many secrets but Bluestone trusted him. 

Cedric was the next to speak up, “I agree with Maza. The QuarryMen are not authorized for such behavior. We are here to protect the citizens, and this cult I dare say is doing nothing but creating panic.”

“Our primary objective is to protect the people of New York and minimize panic and confusion. We need to make an announcement denouncing the Quarry Men and their actions. Who agrees with me? A show of hands please.” Bluestone spoke as he glanced around the table.

All were in favor, but she sensed some of the members around the table only raised their hands to prevent tensions from rising. She wanted to keep an eye on Martin in particular. 

“I’ll bring this in front of Chavez before I go home today. We will need to get a block on the nightly news and have it run in the papers. The sooner the better.” Bluestone continued, and everyone nodded around the table. 

“With that settled, any news on the Gargoyles being spotted within the city?” Elisa spoke up, wanting to move the meeting forward/

The group launched into discussing that. Since the initial reveal of the Gargoyles in Manhattan, it was hard to tell which calls were real, fake, or pranks. It was hard because sometimes the ‘proof’ that was given was blurry, unfocused, and occasionally clearly not a Gargoyle. 

“It’s simply too hard to believe people. We all know that the Gargoyles are currently with Xanatos.” Martin took a sip from his coffee cup. “I doubt he would let them risk their safety right now.” She did not like him, even with his relationship with Bluestone.

“Is there any way we can legally get him to hand over the Gargoyles?” Morgan questioned. 

“We would have to have the Gargoyles recognized as a species, they don’t exist in the system. No judge would take a warrant like that seriously, and Xanatos himself has publicly stated that the warrant would have to explicitly state that it was in relation with Gargoyles.” Elisa threw out, trying to remind the others in the room that the Gargoyles were untouchable where they currently were. 

“Xanatos cannot decide what the law is and is not,” Yale spoke up. 

“That’s not what I’m saying. If we storm the tower, we are no better than the QuarryMen. We are not above the law and currently, no laws exist concerning Gargoyles.” She countered. 

“If we are called in to seize illegal or exotic animals we have to have the correct warrant to do that as well; Gargoyles aren’t even considered animals at the current moment.” Bluestone was trying to help her steer the conversation to getting Gargoyles' legal status. 

The other members around the table fell silent. Maybe their plan was working. 

“Are you saying that in order to take the Gargoyles into state custody, we would have to grant them rights as a species?” Martin eyed her. 

“That’s not what I said, but it isn’t a bad idea. All creatures on this Earth that we have discovered have been classified.” Bluestone continued, “Does it not seem like the logical thing to do? We’ve talked about it before, and the people of the city seem to agree with us.”

“Quite a number keep turning up on Friday nights in front of our precinct building. Mr. Robbins usually being among them, and they are advocating for the rights of the Gargoyles,” said Travanti.

“Okay, lunch is coming up. Let’s break and come back to the table.” Bluestone stood up. “I’m gonna head down the street to get a sub,” he turned to Maza, “Join me?” 

“Sure thing partner, but I won’t be taking work with us to lunch.” She smiled and stood up, following him out of the room.

“Me neither, I’m getting tired of talking circles.” His face did look tired, they were both tired. 

“How’s the Big Guy?” He asked under his breath. 

She chuckled. “The family is doing okay, we’ve had a few growing pains with the new cousin that came into town, but nothing a little communication can’t fix.” They walked down the stairs into the lobby. 

“That doesn’t sound too bad; the place big enough to handle everyone?”

“Oh of course! Everyone is housed at my father’s friend’s place.” 

They had taken to using code to hide her actions outside of work. They had also figured out different ways for her to get into Xanatos’ tower without being traced or tracked down. 

The code talk lasted until they got to their local sub place.

“Goliath is researching human laws of sentience, and what it takes to be considered sentient. It’s hard considered there are guidelines, but they’re a little outdated. Xanatos is also catching up on his reading, it’s enough to make a girl's head spin.” She slumped into her seat.

The exhaustion of the past two months crashed down on her shoulders. 

“Good, we’re getting the others on track to want that as well. It was smart of Xanatos to make a statement to the police like that. It put us between a rock and a hard pplace but also, it means that legally there is nothing we can do.” He took a bite of his sub, a little falling out the back.

“That was the point; can’t do anything if there is nothing in the books.” The sub tasted great, she’d been skipping a few meals as of late. 

Running the streets, and keeping Mr. Robbins and the others informed, and taking down their testimonies was easier said than done, considering it had to be done in secret. The other officers on the GTF could not know what she was doing.

If she was found out her position would be compromised and it would more likely than not reflect badly on the Gargoyles. 

Bluestone leveled a look at her, “When I make my report to Chavez I’m also telling her that you need time off.” He was right and she hated it. “You’re doing it again, double shifts in secret and you are going to burn out. You’re doing too much.”

“I’m not doing enough.” Her voice cracked.

“Masa cut the bull.” He set down his sub and wiped off his hands. He gave the room a quick sweep and lowered his voice. “You are working as a double agent and I know that you are doing far more than you are telling me. Between the precinct, hitting the streets, and pulling the extra hours helping with the Gargoyles.” He smiled softly at her. “I’m sure you are doing more than enough, please. You can rely on others.”

“You know, I needed to be reminded of that.”

“We all do sometimes.” He took another bite of his sub.

The rest of their lunch was spent in easy small talk, neither wanting to head back into the office but knowing that they needed to. The Clan was relying on them and they simply could not fail. 

After work, she made her winding way to the clan.

Elisa had a lot to think of and she didn’t want to think about it in that current moment. 

She was sure the others understood.

Xanatos had started doing mock trials with Goliath so that he was well versed in the language that the court systems used. She did want to update them on the fact that the GTF was also looking into getting the Gargoyles recognized as a species. 

She and Bluestone had been hounding the others on it, there was little else that could be done legally. They had done a good job she thought, the others saw the logic in their words. 

Xanatos had coached both of them in that they needed to be logical about it and to appease the interests of the public, which Mr.Robbins was more than eager to share with them and to pass it on to the others who were a part of the Pro Gargoyle Movement. 

The past two months had given them enough time to bolster their ranks and networks.

It was bustling by the time she made it to the upper levels of the tower and exited the elevator. Fox was on the phone, baby Alex clung to her hip as she popped her hip. Xanatos was on a separate phone. Owen was speaking to both Lexington and Brooklyn. She assumed the rest were deeper in the castle speaking with their guests. 

Xanatos had offered the use of his private plane to go pick up the Japanese Clan of Gargoyles. They were still negotiating the timing and who exactly would go to pick them up. It was delicate business because the Clan trusted Goliath but were unsure of Xanatos and wanted to bring along their humans as well. She thought that was a perfect idea, 

Either way, she wanted tonight off and that’s exactly what she was going to do. 

Elisa motioned to Fox that she wanted to take Alex and he was happily handed over. 

His little fists curled into her jacket and he gave her a wet kiss against her cheek. She gave him a raspberry kiss to the cheek back as she moved out into the moonlit garden. 

“Everyone is so busy!” She found a comfy place to sit back and put him on her knees. “So what did you do today?” 

He had started babbling, he had already said his first-word, ‘doggie’, which she thought was charming. The boy was strongly attached to Bronx, and the Gargoyle Beast certainly loved the little boy too.

It was time to help him work on his vocabulary, and speaking to him normally was something they were all trying to do. Well, she and the Clan. Both Fox and Xanatos had never baby-talked to their child. 

“Sounds interesting! What was for dinner? Anything yummy in this tummy?” She leaned in and tickled his baby rolls. He giggled and pushed her away.

Elisa pulled him into a hug. It was nice to just be. He quieted down and snuggled into her. She wished she had grabbed a blanket before heading out. Autumn was settling in, and her coat just barely closed around him and he was falling asleep. 

Just as she moved to get up and get one, a soft knit was thrown over her. 

Goliath took a seat in the chair across from her, shifting his tail and wings out of the way. He smiled, “Saw you from the window.”

“Thank you, I didn’t want to wake him.” She whispered back. 

“How are you?” His eyes were kind. Everything about him was kind. 

“To be honest, I’m tired. I’ve been kicked for the next few days. Bluestone doesn’t want me burning out.” She tipped her head back, letting out a long breath. 

“What is ‘burning out’?” He was always so eager to learn more modern-day English, and it warmed her heart to know he was comfortable enough with her to ask for help. 

“You know when you burn a candle too fast? When you don’t keep the wick cut?” She always tried to link it to something he would understand. 

He made a thinking noise before he said, “Yes, the candle burns too fast.”

“Exactly, when someone puts in too much time and effort into one thing without taking time to decompress and rest, they burn out just like that candle.”

“That is a good expression, I’ll be sure to use it in the future.” He and the Clan’s way of speaking had gradually shifted as they threw out older words in exchange for newer slang. The Trio was faster than Goliath, but he was more thorough. 

She hummed, not wanting to think much more. 

“Bluestone is right, you should spend the next day resting. Either here or at your place, wherever you feel more comfortable.” He knew that being away for too long made her anxious. 

“I may spend the next day lounging around the castle like some court official.” She tried to keep her chuckle low so as to not wake Alex. 

He was limp against her chest, his little fist firmly pushed into his mouth. 

Both she and Goliath shared a smile before they were quiet. She liked that they could just simply exist with the other. She loved to talk, she loved to hear what it was that he was thinking, but it was also nice to just enjoy the peace and quiet together. 

It was rare for her to exist in silence. Sounds always filled her life, be it her talking to her cat or the sounds of the city outside her windows. Here in the castle, they were far above the city streets and Xanatos had the airfield around his castle registered as a restricted area. 

There were gentle night sounds that she had never had a chance to enjoy before and they were lulling her asleep. 

“Here, Elisa, shall I put you to bed?” He stood up, knowing her answer already. 

“Please? Anywhere soft will do.” She shifted her grip on Alex, pulling him closer and wrapping the blanket tighter around him. 

Goliath gently worked his talons under her knees and back so he could carry her like a princess across the garden. He took her deeper into the castle to one of the many bedrooms that were outfitted for guests. This one seemed a little more extravagant than usual. 

“Whose room was this?” She knew he had the castle memorized and sometimes it hurt him to remember how it once was. 

He whispered, “The Princess’,” as he pulled back the top layer of the cover and sheets with his second set of hands.

She was tired and could feel the edges of her exhaustion digging deeper into her. 

“Should I take Alex?” He questioned. 

“Nah, I’m okay.” She shifted him to lay beside her, still swaddled in the extra blanket. “Thank you.”

“Of course, anything for you.” He sounded too tender for her soul. 

“Hey, come here a second.” She wiggled a finger at him, trying to pull him closer to her. 

He leaned in as if he wanted to hear a secret. 

She reached up and cradled the back of his head with her free hand, gently gripping him and pulling him closer.

It was a simple kiss, not a lot of heat behind it but to be honest, she didn’t have it in her to be heated at the moment. Not to mention Alex who was still snuggled next to her.

He was still against her before relaxing into it. He wasn’t fighting her and it was nice. It was a nice kiss, a satisfying one. She pulled away and dragged her fingers through his hair as he lifted his head. 

“Goodnight.” He whispered before turning off the lights and leaving her and Alex behind.

\--------------------------------------------------

She woke up when Fox entered the room. 

“Thanks for watching him, Xanatos and I had a business that desperately needed to be attended to, and with the planning for the guests’ arrivals,” She took a deep breath. “We simply had to get it done. Thank you for taking him and helping him get to sleep.” 

Her voice was sleepy and rough, “It’s no problem, I love him just as much as the rest.” She rubbed the sleep from her eyes. “What time is it?”

“4:32, don’t worry. I simply came to get him to put him down in his crib. He’s been sleeping through the nights lately, and we are very proud.” She smiled softly as she gathered her son in her arms. He was still swaddled in the blanket Goliath had brought. “Go back to sleep. You are to rest today.”

Sleep gripped her and started to drag her down again and honestly, she didn’t want to fight it.

She wanted to rest and when she woke up, she wanted the bags under her eyes to be faded and not nearly so bruised. 

Elisa’s dreams were strange, and oddly egg focused. She had to run through a maze holding onto a raw egg and if she dropped it she was teleported back to the starting line and had to run the race once again. Things kept popping up and making her drop the egg and it was frustrating. 

She woke up with the residual feeling bouncing around her brain. 

The sky told her it was early evening but her body screamed to her that she shouldn’t leave the confines of the bedding. She was comfortable, why leave?

“Come on, there’s work to be done.” She heaved herself out of bed, remembering the kiss from the night before and cracked a smile. “He didn’t fight me or seemed like it was unwelcome, we are making progress I would say!” 

Elisa felt gross, having slept in the clothes she wore the day before. She tracked down Fox, which honestly wasn’t that hard. 

“Do you have any clothes I can borrow?” She was almost embarrassed to ask, but Fox had seen her in far worse conditions before.

“Of course, you know where my closet is, right?” She looked up from her desk. 

“Yeah, I’ve seen it before.”

“Go ahead and take anything you want. We are similar in shape and size so most of it should fit you.” She turned back to her work, typing away almost furiously at her keyboard. 

Elisa headed towards the master suite, knowing that Xanatos was most likely in another part of the castle doing who knows what. It was strange to see the castle quiet and almost lifeless. It was so busy during the night and filled with life and so many voices. It unsettled her to see it so empty and cold.

Fox’s closet had clothing that Elisa had never seen her wear, she assumed they were saved for special moments or press releases. Fox was a smart, trendy, and almost ready to fight kind of woman. 

Towards the back, she found a simple sundress, not something too flashy or showy, but comfortable. There were plenty of sweaters to pair it with. She decided the yellow floral pattern worked best with a simple maroon knit cardigan. Costume change complete, she made her way to the sleeping Gargoyles.

Each one of them had chosen a different position to rest in; some fierce, some pondering, and some watching the night sky stoically. It was interesting to see their personalities reflected in their resting position. 

She sat with them until they awoke, if she were to be honest, it was because it was so fascinating. She had seen it too many times to count but it never got old. 

Elisa tucked back her hair and welcomed them back to the world of the waking.


	7. The Duty of Protection

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: I know the mysterious benefactor has been debated and many point to Taro being said person, but that doesn’t quite fit with my narrative. I’m trying to weave some things in and that means I gotta break the canon where I need to.
> 
> There are also a few other things I’m bending as well, I’m no pro at debating sentience or knowing how the court of law works. I’ve done a little research but man by no means an expert. I’m also trying to keep it from being too boring as this is a work of fiction. I don’t think anyone minds but I wanted to be upfront about it. 
> 
> Also! Thank you for all the kind comments and encouragement! I also appreciate it when readers give me a heads up on the spelling I messed up and possible weird grammar. I live and work in Japan and spend most of my day in Japanese and it affects my English a little bit- mainly when I’m talking but occasionally I have to sit back and look up grammar for a sentence :3
> 
> (As of May 27th, this Chapter has been edited by the lovely Missyjenne)  
> \--------------------------------------------------

“I know it’s your day off, but I would greatly appreciate it.” Xanatos glanced her way over the breakfast table, or the dinner table; time truly was irrelevant when living with Gargoyles. 

“I want to go. You aren’t asking a favor of me with this.” She sipped her coffee, watching the others dig into their breakfasts. “Besides, I’m someone they know and trust. Mr. Hiroshi would also be far more comfortable if I were to tag along.” They knew she was right. 

They were lucky that their plea to the Ishimura Clan had been heard and responded to. Both Sora and Kai had every right to ignore them and to continue living as they had for centuries alongside their human companions. It was only due to Angela playing on the need to be courageous, and if given the chance why should they not have rights? Why should they continue to live in the shadows?

Angela was a smart cookie, for how little experience she had in the modern age, she was quickly showing that she was her father’s daughter. 

Goliath was quiet over breakfast, possibly due to her actions the night before. She didn’t regret them, but she doubted they would have time to talk about it in private for the next few days. It unsettled her, but there was little else she could do about it. 

“Then it’s settled.” Fox looked up from the morning news. “We shall send Goliath, Broadway, and Lexington along with you and David. I and the others will remain behind to keep an eye on things here.” She leaned over to squeeze her husband’s hand. 

Brooklyn nodded, “Sounds like a plan to me.” As second in command, he needed to stay behind. 

Bronx and Hudson tended to avoid extensive travel. The aging Gargoyle much preferred the comfort of his chair to exploring the world outside. In his own words, he had ‘seen enough of the world to be content for another century’. Whereas with Bronx, he simply was too hard to transport.

“Once everyone is done eating and getting ready, we will head out,” Fox announced. 

It didn’t take long for everyone to finish up their various duties. True to her word, Elisa had spent most of the day lounging around the castle taking care of Alex while Owen bustled about and helped Fox and Xanatos. 

She enjoyed spending time with him, he was beginning to form simple words and it was charming to watch him try and figure out the world. It was nice to pretend like life was normal again, even if just for a moment. 

Everyone gathered in the hanger, ready to be off. Fox had made sure that the craft had more than enough food for everyone and their guests. It wouldn’t be a very long flight, Xanatos’ craft was far faster than any commercial plane currently available. 

“I hope you don’t mind, I have a little experiment in mind.” He buckled himself into the pilot’s seat.

“Oh boy, what is it this time?” Lexington did his best to get the straps to fit comfortably around his waist and wings. 

Broadway also eyed him, keeping quiet. 

“Oh don’t worry, it’s simple really. I’m going to keep this plane in the ‘nighttime’ as we travel around the world to go pick up our friends. I’m interested to see what will happen.” He didn’t sound malicious, and most of his experiments and curiosities weren’t initially malicious in intent.

She sighed and rolled her eyes, settling into the chair next to Goliath. 

The craft had various seating to choose from; clearly, it had been updated recently as most of the chairs were wing and tail friendly. She would have to thank Xanatos for that later. 

“It’ll be nice to see Kai and Sora again. I hope Yama hasn’t been giving them grief.” Elisa spoke as she turned to Goliath. He had briefly explained to her what banishment was like for a Gargoyle, but it still didn’t click in her mind. “Could you explain banishment again?”

The plane gently took off, and they were on their way. “I’d say we have about five hours until we get there once we reach maximum speed. Pretty impressive considering this isn’t the updated version, that’s still in the labs yet.” Xanatos kicked back and pulled out a tablet that he began working with. 

“Banishment for a Gargoyle varies between the clans.” Goliath started. “For Clan Wyvern it meant that you were no longer allowed to hunt or be seen on the Clan’s land, the length of the banishment is also based on the severity of the crime.” He squeezed his talons into his palms as he thought for a moment. “Yama was banished from his Clan, but not forever, only until ‘his last honor’ is restored.”

She nodded, thinking back on the scene. “Sora had been upset with that, she said it was too strict of Kai as Yama had realized his mistake and was trying to fix what he had done.” Sora had seemed almost anguished to watch Yama leave their Clan. 

“That’s because Sora and Yama are mates, and him being banished means they cannot be together again until he is welcomed back.” His face was unreadable and she assumed he was thinking of Demona. He always got a twitch in his eye-ridge when he thought too hard about her. 

“Ah, that makes sense. And who knows when he will be able to return to her side. That’s rough.” From what she had seen most Gargoyles had one and only one partner, Goliath was a bit of an oddity but she could understand why. “I hope he’s okay.”

“I’m sure he is, he and his Clan have survived in that area for generations. Banishment is a punishment, not a death sentence.” He smiled and reached for her hand. “He will manage to get back to the one he loves.” 

She realized that their little chat had an audience; as soon as she looked to them the other two whipped their heads around and started babbling about nonsense. Elisa let out a little laugh and leaned back into her seat. 

“Tell me more about Gargoyle culture, I feel like I’ve only scratched the surface with you guys, despite having been around you for nearly a year and a half.” It was true, she felt oddly out of place in their culture, even with the coaching Angela had been giving her. Goliath was refusing to pick up on her signals and maybe she could convince him to teach her more: prove to him that her actions were not random but were her trying to court him in his own culture. 

“What would you like to know?” Goliath asked. 

She thought for a moment, trying to find something that would be interesting but also not uncomfortable. “I know we’ve talked about this in the past, where Gargoyles don’t follow a nuclear family-style, but how does one choose who does what when raising children?” It was an honest question, she had seen each of the Clan take time to play and nurture Alex as well as help Angela as she was still an adolescent by their standards. Though she wasn’t far behind the Trio in age. 

“A good question. It’s less that we decide who does what and more that someone will do what they want. From an egg being laid to its hatching takes ten years, and they usually hatch around the Spring Equinox. Though, we don’t know when our Clan’s eggs hatched due to how time passes on Avalon.” He took a breath and thought for a moment while she digested that information. 

Ten years was a very long time to wait for a child to be born. 

“When the eggs hatch you do not know which is ‘yours’ but that is not a matter of concern. Instead, the concern is ‘what role do you want to play?’. The mothers of the generation of children take turns feeding and caring for them while the fathers also take turns in helping the young ones find their wings and teaching them how to fight and hunt. Both fathers and mothers play an active role, but it is not uncommon for a Gargoyle to refuse to care for the children. There is no taboo in place for such a decision. There is also the case where a parent of the clutch died in battle, having a community means the child is never alone, even after the death of a member of the clan.”

“So it truly is communal,” It reminded her of where she grew up where if a kid needed a place to go there was always a door open and an Auntie you could call up. “Don’t you get attached? To a specific child, I mean.” 

“Sometimes, but one is never possessive of a child. They belong to the whole clan.” He stated firmly. 

She nodded along, thinking about how they were all so eager to help with Alex but always willing to pass him on to the next set of hands. 

“You know, that sounds like a nice way to grow up.” She laughed at his expression. “What? Don’t look at me like that! It means that the kid always has someone to ask for help or to support them. They aren’t alone, ever.” Elisa was truly grateful for her mother and father, they had raised her and her two siblings to be pretty okay people she had to say. 

He rubbed his chin, “I had never thought of that. Is that a problem in human society? Children being left alone?” 

“In human society, we have orphans and foster care kids, which are similar but different in a lot of ways.” She looked to her hands, trying to find the right words. “Orphans don’t have a father or a mother, and sometimes they don’t even have extended family. You could say they are alone. Everyone’s situation is different though.” Her precinct usually didn’t work with child services, but it was an issue in New York City in particular.

“Where do these children go?” Concern bled into his voice and face. It must horrify him, the idea of abandoned children. 

“Depends, usually there is a care house or they are placed with special services and then become a foster child. And foster children are even more complicated, they are children that have been taken away from their families. The reasons all vary but usually, it’s to protect the child, but that’ s not always the case. To be honest I don’t know much about it, as my work is usually in tracking down bad guys and breaking up gang rings.” She shrugged.

He looked to the others and she could hear the gears in his head turning.

“Abandoned children.” Sadness filled his voice. “We had to abandon our children, and it was the hardest decision I had to make as leader of the Clan.” He buried his face in his palms. “My brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, shattered. The remaining members were stone at night.” The other two glanced his way, she saw Lexington unbuckle himself from his seat. “I did not want to leave them.”

Lexington put a hand on his shoulder, “Goliath. You made the right decision.” 

She had always viewed him as the youngest of the three, maybe because of his size or because his voice was so high pitched. Despite that, he always has the wisest words to offer when the moment struck him. 

“Think of it this way, if you hadn’t, we wouldn’t be here right now. We would still be asleep. You would be on Avalon with the eggs. You would have never met Elisa. Fox and Xanatos would have never gotten together, Alex wouldn’t exist.” He smiled and squeezed his shoulder. 

“Your companion is right,” Xanatos called out. “Only fools deal in should have or could have. Nothing you do now will change that fact.” 

Broadway also threw in his two cents, “Also, the eggs did hatch. You didn’t abandon them. You gave them over to someone who would care for and love them. Ask Angela how she feels about it the next time you see her, if you still feel guilty.” 

Goliath relaxed. “Thank you.” He straightened his back and shook his head. 

She reached out and put her hand in his, “It’s okay. We all have choices we second guess, but don’t worry. We’re here and now and we have things to get done.”

The other two nodded in agreement. 

“Let’s lay out what we need the Ishimura Clan to address, because they will have the same questions as us I am assuming. We also need to get information together for Officer Hiroshi because he may come under fire.” Golaith’s words rang out. She hadn’t thought of that. 

“Don’t worry about that, I plan on keeping his identity a secret. I’ve created an alias for him and will handle that aspect.” Said Xanatos.

“All right, we’ll leave him in your capable hands.” Lexington brought out his tablet. “Now, we’ll need to make sure that our cultures are similar; theirs is influenced by their Japanese heritage.” He began. 

—————————————————————————————————————

From take-off to landing it had taken them five hours and twenty-five minutes. Not bad, considering commercial flights, not including layovers, would have been closer to seventeen. 

As Xanatos had predicted, because the craft was continually following the edge of night and day, the Gargoyles stayed out of their statue forms.

“You know, I wonder what the long term effects would be,” Xanatos whispered to her as they watched the two Clans meet again, some of them having to go through introductions. “They would not be able to absorb sunlight, I wonder what their caloric intake would become.” The Trio did consume a large amount of food, Bronx as well. It was hard to imagine them consuming even more. 

Goliath and Hudson ate less than the Trio but still more than what she would consider average. Her father was not a large man and was active even at his age. 

“Maybe they’ll let you experiment with it one day.” She left his side to join Goliath. 

“Hello, Elisa.” Kai sent a small bow her way. “I am glad to see you are well.” He cut an impressive figure, even next to Goliath. The two were nearly identical in height and size, but his brow-horns were far longer and thus more intimidating. 

Sora was by his side, “Hello again.” She smiled kindly. 

The other two were busy making introductions to the rest of the Clan, clasping forearms and touching foreheads. She would have to ask them later if that was how she was supposed to greet Gargoyles. Elisa had never seen Goliath greet another in such a way. 

“We were meaning to ask you,” Kai turned to Goliath. “Recently, we’ve been in contact with a man who appears to be using an alias, and we wanted to know if you had ever heard from such a man.”

The other two overheard this and hurried over. 

Kai continued, “He’s the one who has contracted out guards to help keep us safe during the day. He said his concern was not the people in our area, but because the Quarry Men had formed and may be looking for Gargoyles around the world, not just targeting the Manhattan Clan as we all assumed.” 

Elisa felt her heart skip a beat. She and the others had assumed that the Quarry Men were unaware of the other Gargoyle Clans. 

“He told us to call him Thirty-Two.” Kai frowned and crossed his arms. “He proved to us that you knew him, and were connected to him, and he has set up a guard around the city to keep an eye out for the QuarryMen. Do you know who this could be?”

Elisa looked to Goliath, neither of them had heard of a man who went by Thirty-Two. She shook her head and frowned. 

“I am sorry friend, we do not know this man. It is possible we know him by another name, but that is impossible to know for now. Who has he sent to guard you?” Goliath questioned. 

“A few humans who have a background in interacting with Gargoyles, one of which was adamant that he was to follow us to New York.” 

“Hey there Goliath!” A man appeared from behind Kai. His face was familiar but hard to place. “Aren’t ya glad to see me?” He put his hands on his hips and let out a laugh. “No pies this time, I promise.”

Elisa had no idea who the man was, why he knew Goliath’s name, and what he meant about pies. She glanced at Goliath out of the corner of her eye and she could see flickers of partial recognition. 

That’s when it came back to her, she had seen him on the nightly news. He had been interviewed and has said that he had gotten his revenge against the Gargoyles. 

“What’s that look, it’s like you don’t even remember me!” The man stomped his foot. “Vinnie, Grigori Vinnie, a name like that ring a bell between your ears?”

She looked over at her shoulder and Xanatos nodded. He confirmed her suspicions. 

“It was you who tipped us off about the QuarryMen hunting Mr.Robbins.” She took a step towards him. “You were also on the Nightwatch.”

He seemed a little sheepish about that one. “Ah,” He chuckled nervously, “I was, that’s how Mr. Castaway found me. He wanted me to join their group.” He shoved his hands in his pockets and rocked back and forth nervously. Maybe it was because all eyes were on him. “I didn’t agree with their tactics, I didn’t wanna hurt nobody.”

Xanatos walked past her and took his hand, “Thank you. You helped us protect him and I think you made the right choice. Would you mind telling us your story on the way back?” 

“O’ course Mr. Xanatos.” He smiled at the other man. 

Goliath turned to Kai, “Who amongst your clan will be joining us?”

The other Gargoyle caped his wings and motioned with his arms the gathering to his right. “Myself, Tanaka, Nakagawa, Aoi, and Mr. Hiroshi will be journeying with you. Sora is to remain here as my second in command.” The others and Sora nodded, agreeing to his plan.

“Excellent, I would not want your clan to be leaderless due to us.” Goliath bowed to Sora as he thanked her. 

“Do not worry friend, please, let us be off. I wish to speak to you about what exactly it is that we will be doing.” 

While Goliath and his Clan spoke to Kai and his, Xanatos and Elisa were interested to hear more from Vinnie. Mr. Hiroshi also joined them; he was a rather quiet man so she didn’t expect him to say much, but she had been right in that he was more relaxed with her being around. 

“Yeah, after the interview, Mr. Castaway contacted me and asked if I wanted to join his club. He needed someone who could track Gargoyles and I had already proved that I could do so.” He rubbed his nose and sniffed. “When I joined things seemed a little odd, no one would tell me why we wanted to track down the Gargoyles.”

Elisa was believing him so far, he didn’t seem like a very bright man nor was he a malicious one. 

“I got real concerned when they talked about smashing them up. When I got my revenge I used Mr. Carter, ohh Mr.Carter and I had fun that day.”

Xanatos lifted an eyebrow, clearly questioning this man’s sanity. “Mr. Carter?”

Vinnie clapped his hands excitedly, “Yeah! Special made pie gun that I commissioned from Mr. Acme.” He closed his eyes as if to savor the memory. “I had gotten my revenge, I didn’t want to smash them. That’s just too cruel. I knew I was running in the wrong crowd when I caught wind that they were going to hurt the people who were Pro Gargoyle.” He really was just a simple man who had gotten caught up with the wrong people. 

“That’s when you decided to give me a call and tell me Mr. Robbins was in danger.” Xanatos continued his story for him, “Was it also at that point that Mr. Thirty-Two contacted you and offered you a job?” He asked. 

“That’s exactly right, he said I had experience with Gargoyles and that the QuarryMen were on to me for ratting them out. I didn’t want no trouble so I left for Japan and here we are now. Funny isn’t it.” He smiled and leaned back. “Just didn’t feel right, you know?”

Mr. Hiroshi chimed in, “All of the individuals sent by Mr. Thirty-Two have experience in guard duty, as well possessing knowledge about Gargoyles. It’s rather amazing.”

“Please, tell me about the others.” Xanatos leaned in, interested in this man’s stories. 

She got up and edged over to the rest, leaving the others to discuss Mr.Thirty-Two further. 

“So you would not have us stand by your side?” Kai raised his voice in anger as he stood up from his seat. 

“Peace my friend, that is not what I am saying. I do not wish to put you in harm's way.” Goliath rested his elbows on his knees, his hands folded in front of his chest. “I do not want to risk your Clan’s stability.”

“Goliath, if I were not ready to do that I would not be here. My second in command has been chosen, if I didn’t think she would lead the clan in the case of me being unable to return to them I would not have placed her in such a position.” He countered, his accent slipping slightly. 

Lexington and Broadway were silent as were the rest of Ishimura Clan members. The two powerhouses of their Clans were trading verbal blows and it was not the right time to step in yet. Elisa watched it as if it were a tennis match and settled next to Lexington. 

“There is strength in numbers and you cannot deny that. My clan has a longer history than yours living alongside humans and the humans participating in our culture. Please,” He shook his head. “Do not be a fool and let your judgment be clouded.” 

Elisa got up and put a hand on the back of his head. She leaned in to whisper, “Please, I understand what you are trying to do but we need them. They want this and are committed and we are lucky for it. Goliath, please.” Elisa pulled her fingers through his hair as she backed away and took up her spot next to Lexington. 

Kai watched her closely for a moment, shifting his gaze between the two of them. She schooled her face to betray nothing. Elisa was not ashamed of her attraction to Goliath, but she was uncertain how Kai and his Clan would view it. It wasn’t worth the risk. 

Goliath let out a long sigh, “I would be honored.”

Kai snorted and nodded his head, extending both of his arms to Goliath. They wrapped talons around each other's forearms and bumped heads. 

“We are in agreement.” 

The tensions between the two clans lessened and they started to chat a little more openly. Kai was still watching her as she once again approached Goliath. 

“Vinnie was the one who warned us about Mr. Robbins, and he’s more than willing to be on our side, he’s proven that much. I’m worried about who this Mr. Thirty-Two is. I’ve heard of plenty of aliases in my time but never one where it was strictly numbers.” She crossed her arms over her chest, taking in a deep breath. 

“He appears to be on our side, he protected Mr. Robbins and is aware that other Clans exist. We should ask Una to see if her Calan have been contacted by this man.” He shifted over on his bench, giving her space to settle next to him. 

Kai sat across from them, Elisa made sure to not melt into Goliath. They had interacted before in front of him but her memory was fuzzy, she had spent a majority of that time trying to free them from Taro’s amusement park of horrors. 

“We too are interested in who this man is, he gave us very little information, but all of it was true. He knew about Taro and Yama, and he showed up images and videos of your Manhattan Clan.” His tail twitched. “It was irrefutable evidence and he wanted to help us, and with the QuarryMen as a possible threat we thought it wise to take him up on his offer.”

“It still shocks me that the Quarry Men are aware of your Clan.” Elisa had never breathed a word of their existence except to the other members of her Clan and Bluestone. “I’m worried about the others.”

Goliath nodded, sharing her sentiment. “This was an unseen outcome but we will manage; the wheels are in motion and humanity will have to understand that our kind are simply not beasts.” 

Kai snorted, “Once common ground is found, it is far easier than you think to convince humans. How many have you come across that truly despised you after understanding our nature?” It was a good question. 

In all their travels, the only people who really could not set aside their hate for Gargoyles were those who had interacted with Demona at length, but she would never say that in front of Goliath. It would only hurt him to hear it.

Demona was the one who created the Huntsmen, and then in turn it was the Huntsmen’s last member who had created the QuarryMen. 

The humans who had interacted directly with Goliath and his clan eventually found something they all agreed on, be it protecting the land or the people of the land. She thought back to when she first met them and to be honest she had been scared, but was charmed by them during their little naming ceremony. 

Goliath was quiet as he thought back. “You are correct, I cannot remember a human or any creature that we interacted with that continued to fear and hate us.” He rubbed his chin, still in thought. 

“We also have the backing of quite a few good people back home, they are protesting for your kinds’ rights,” she added. Kai had been kept up to date with what had been happening in New York, but she really wanted him to see for himself. 

The future was hopeful. Everything was falling into place. Even so, she was anxious about what would be happening in the coming days. No amount of preparation would be enough but it had to be. 

She wanted to reach out for his hand, but was unsure if it was the right thing to do.

As if reading her mind, he reached out and quietly squeezed her hand. They had a long ride back and much to discuss.


	8. The Private Lessons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey~
> 
> Today is a fun double update because work was so slow today.
> 
> I also had time to map out more of the plot besides what I had originally or initially planned so that was fun!
> 
> (As of May 27th, this Chapter has been edited by the lovely Missyjenne)  
> \--------------------------------------------------

The castle finally settled down, they had arrived just as the sun had set and the others were eager to greet them. Brooklyn in particular had been more than happy to show them around when Goliath asked him to do so. 

While he did that, Elisa and Goliath made their way into the kitchen. Partly to check and make sure the food was ready for their guests, and partly to have a moment of quiet. 

Fox greeted them in the kitchen, “Could you help me move these platters out into the great hall?” She had ordered the catering and it had arrived just in time. 

“I wonder what the people who are surveilling the tower are thinking right now.” She chuckled and lifted a box, following after her. 

"That Xanatos is having a ball of course!" Fox laughed. 

Goliath also lent a hand and the food was quickly moved. 

Fox took a seat at the inner kitchen counter, a glass of wine in her hand. “Either of you want tea?” She was already moving to turn on the water. 

“Thanks. Been a bit of a day.” Elisa also climbed onto one of the stools. Goliath chose to stay standing but leaned against the bar. “We did a lot of talking on the plane and I just want to decompress.”

Fox chuckled as she took a sip of her wine, “You sure you want tea? I have something a little stronger if you don’t mind. This extends to you as well.” She shifted her gaze to Goliath.

“I am okay, thank you though.” He much preferred tea.

“You know what, yeah. Do you have whiskey?” She deserved it, that’s what she was telling herself. It was her day off and she had done work; work that she had wanted to do and would have been anxious if she hadn’t been included in it, but it was work nonetheless. 

Fox hid her mouth behind her hand as she snorted. “Silly question girl, a better one would be what year?”

“I don’t know much about whiskey, just that I don’t mind the cheap stuff if it’s chilled enough.” She was being honest, she didn’t care much for drinking, but it never hurt to throw one back after a long day. 

“I’ll be right back, you know where all the cups are.” Fox nodded to Goliath, giving him free rein of her kitchen before she went around the corner into the cellar. 

“Whiskey huh?” His eyes crinkled with his smile.

She stuck out her tongue at him, “Big Guy I’ve had a day. You and Xanatos are taking it from here. There’s little else I can do.” She leaned into her propped up hand. 

He flicked off the water and poured himself a cup, dunking the teabag in with little ceremony, but carefully added two small spoons of sugar. “You are still keeping us informed on what is happening within the police. Elisa, you are still helping us.” He was right but it felt like everything was out of her hands since she had helped form the Pro Gargoyle Movement. 

Before she could continue complaining Fox returned with a small tumbler of whiskey. It even had a fancy round piece of ice in it. 

She scoffed and took the glass, “Living like kings are we?” She asked.

“Only the best for the best.” Fox quipped back. 

They clinked glasses and took a sip. It burned going down but warmed her belly. 

“Perfect, this is exactly what I needed.” She took another sip. “Thanks.” 

The three chatted easily, keeping it to either small talk or anything about the Gargoyles. Fox had been busy that day. Xanatos was investing in green power, and she was heading that endeavor with her history with the Matrix in her advantage. 

“Having a son has changed something in that man.” Fox crooned. She had clearly loved him before, but it was deeper now. “He wants a better future and so he’s trying his best. Who am I to deny such a wish?” 

Xanatos laughed as he rounded the corner. “Don’t you worry, my love," He wrapped his arm around her waist and settled his chin on her shoulder. “Our guests are settled in and enjoying the food. Thanks love,” He kissed her cheek. 

It warmed her to know that the cold man she had initially been fighting against had become so kind. She still had her doubts about him on occasion but when it came to his family even she knew better than to doubt him. 

“Xanatos.” Goliath’s rumble broke her out of her thoughts. “I want to thank you-“ He held up his hand to prevent the other man from interrupting him. “I do not know if or when we will be able to repay you, but you are a friend to Gargoyles.” The way he said it made it feel like it was an official title. 

Xanatos rolled his eyes, “Please. I’m not asking you or your kind to repay me. I’ve told you before and I’ll tell you again. You helped me protect the most important people in my life, my weak points. I consider this getting even with you.” He flicked his wrist at Goliath. “If you thank me again I’m going to start charging rent.” 

She had to laugh at that, the idea was preposterous but she could imagine it: each month each of the Gargoyles handing over a check to Xanatos and watching him count it all up and make sure it was correct. It tickled her funny bone. She knew her Clan didn’t work in cash nor did they possess any, she could imagine them having to get jobs. 

That seemed enough to silence Goliath. Xanatos looked quite proud of himself. 

“Fox, come with me. Come meet our guests. I’m sure you’ll find them charming.” He took her by the hand and led her towards the dinner party that was going on. 

“He’s right you know.” She shifted her body to face him. “I’ve talked to him about it before. It’s not a battle you are going to win.” 

Goliath grunted, clearly displeased but there was nothing else to be done. 

She finished off her glass before asking him, “Follow me?”

He raised an eye-ridge but agreed with a nod of his head. 

She took him through the adjacent rooms, avoiding their guests and members of the Clan that were sure to be around. They ended up in the room she had spent the prior night, or was it two nights ago? She couldn’t remember and didn't care. 

With a little bit of force she got him to sit down in front of the vanity that occupied a large part of one of the room’s corners. 

He had been trying to question her the whole way and she had kept shushing him, telling him it was a secret. She shushed him one more time as she reached for the brush that had been left on the vanity’s counter. 

“Can I brush your hair?” Her fingers were itching to drag through his locks again but she wanted to make sure he knew what it meant to her. “I really want to.” The whiskey wasn’t helping with that though. 

In a quiet voice, so soft she almost couldn’t hear it, “Of course. Anything for you.” It mirrored what he had said the other night. It pulled at her heart and made her gut burn.

“Thank you.” She kissed the crown of his head before setting to work. 

She started with careful strokes, she worked her way from the base of his hair which was nearly down to where his tail began up to his crown. Slowly, and with care, she broke apart the tangles and snarls, using her fingers to tease apart some of the more tender spots. It had probably only taken her fifteen minutes or so but it felt like ages. 

Elisa didn’t dare look into the mirror, afraid of what she would see reflected at her. 

Not long into the process he had begun purring and leaning his head against her brush to help her a little bit. 

“May I braid it?” She whispered her question, not wanting to break the moment. It was almost too much for her. She wanted to scream at him, that he was stupid and thick and couldn’t he see that she wanted him too. 

Elisa couldn’t do that to him. Not like this. She needed to be sober, she needed the trial to be over with, and she needed him to not be so stressed. 

He froze but nodded his consent. 

It wasn’t elaborate, but it was one of her favorite styles. She created smaller braids, only using the top sections of his hair and used them to tie in and tame the rest of his mane. Her mother had used this style for her quite a bit when she had been a little girl. Simple, elegant, and easily done. 

She wasn’t very good at it but it looked nice enough. 

“There, all done.” Elisa leaned into his back, his purring rumbled through her body. She threw her arms over his shoulders like she had done the other night when she had groomed him before. She pushed her nose into his hair. It was hard to put what the Gargoyles smelt like. It was a mixture of earthy clay and like freshly set cement but also they smelled nice. Maybe it was all that time under the sun. 

“Thank you, Elisa.” He reached up and grabbed both of her hands. Giving them each a squeeze. 

“You were getting too tense again.” Throughout the day she had watched as his shoulders kept getting closer and closer to his ears. Everyone was stressed, everyone was a little scared, and she figured having some time alone would help. “I wanted to help, figured braiding your hair and just being quiet for a little bit would help settle you. It helped settle me if that makes you feel any better.” 

Since that fateful night at the cathedral they had fewer and fewer moments alone. With just them or just them and the Clan. She missed the simplicity of it, climbing the tower’s ladder and being surrounded by their warmth and friendship. 

Before they had entered her life she had been a loner, ‘Lone Wolf Maza’ had been her nickname. Her dedication to her job meant precious little social time. Being a woman on the force also meant that when the boys went out she was usually left out. It stung, but didn’t hurt for too long; there was also another perp to hunt down or an undercover case she was needed on. 

“I miss you guys.” She said quietly into his hair. 

He squeezed her hands reassuringly, “We miss you too.”

She smiled against his neck, propping her chin on his shoulders. Elisa was now on her toe tips and leaned heavily against him. “Thanks.” His reflection smiled back at her. 

“It’s going to be okay.” His face had shifted to a more serious visage. “We are going to get through this, our Clan is healthy and growing. We have allies, we are not alone. You are not alone.”

“Neither are you. Kai is strong and he is willing to do so much for both of your kind.” She closed her eyes and buried her face into his neck, letting him take her full weight. 

“I think it’s time you went to bed.” It was gentle, joking, but also a little serious. 

“Carry me.” She laughed through her demand. 

With grace and ease, he stood to his full height, making sure to keep his wings forward. “As you wish, Princess.” 

She laughed at his joking tone. It had been a while since they had been able to goad each other without worrying about the weight of it. He gently moved so she was sitting down on the bed before he released her hands. 

“Ah man, I forgot my pajamas.” She grumbled, standing up and ruining the fun in her mind. “Maybe Fox had put some clothes for me in the dresser.” She wondered aloud. Goliath took a step back, giving her space. 

She dug through the top drawer and was pleased to find simple clothes ready for her. 

“Remind me to thank Fox tomorrow.” She pulled out a sweater and shorts. “Perfect, just what I need. Goliath, please get some rest,” she called after him as he made his way to the door.. 

“You as well, goodnight my dear Princess.” He took a deep bow, smirking as he shut the door.

He was always a little more open to joking with her like that when they were alone. It made her feel special, noticed, cared for even. She quickly changed into the borrowed pajamas and slipped under the covers. 

Sleep came fast and hard, and hopefully without any strange dreams.

\--------------------------------------------------

Goliath padded down the hallways, his gut and heart twisting. He wondered if he had gone too far, shown too much. His instincts argued against him, she had groomed him in private, she had braided his hair and marked him as hers. It was simply written out. 

He shook his head, dissipating those thoughts. He needed to focus. There was much to be done and they were starting to run out of time.

Xanatos wanted everyone gathered by next week and wanted to make a formal statement. Goliath did not know how he was going to go about doing that, but it needed to be done sooner rather than later. 

The QuarryMen had dropped off the radar and Lexington had been unable to find them. It was troubling not knowing where one’s enemy lurked.

Everyone was still gathered in the main hall, they had eaten their fill and were getting to know each other. The air in the room wasn’t heavy or laced with tension, so he quietly grabbed his own food and settled not too far from everyone else. 

Bronx was the first to notice him, he got up and ambled over to lay down at his feet.

“Good boy.” He reached down and gave him a pat between the ears. 

Hudson was next, the old Gargoyle was never one for over socializing. He was the kind that much preferred smaller groups. He may have once been the clan leader, he was unparalleled in his knowledge of war and battle, but the social aspects had always been deferred to his second in command. 

“Evening lad, Elisa’s work?” His tone was gentle, neither accusing or questioning him. 

He nodded, taking another bite. “We had a long day, she’s resting now.” Goliath left it at that, knowing the old one wouldn’t press for more. 

“The newcomers are quite interesting. They will be a source of help in the coming weeks.” He spoke true. He did not want to admit it, but their argument gained more strength the more Gargoyles there were involved.

Xanatos and Fox were both chatting with Kai, the Gargoyles body language spoke volumes of his ease within the castle. He did not fear the two and Goliath was glad for it. 

Nothing had changed while they had gone to pick up the members of the Ishimura Clan. The two sat in amicable silence.

Kai eventually came over to them, his eyes tracing the patterns that Elisa had weaved in. Goliath has to stop himself from bristling at his ally. 

“You have a lovely castle.” Goliath did not mind the small talk, as long as it stayed away from Elisa. 

“Xanatos told you, did he not? This castle's history is a long and complicated one.” Hudson let out a laugh as he spoke. “He moved it here and lifted it above the clouds, breaking the curse that had been put on me and my brethren.”

Kai’s tail and wings twitched, “Yes I was told the story before, I didn’t truly believe it until I laid eyes on this.“ He spread his arms to gesture at the room around him.

“We are lucky to be welcomed back in our ancestral home, we have Xanatos to thank for that.” He had not told them the complicated history between his Clan and their current benefactor. He didn’t want to complicate their relationship further. 

Kai’s next question was a little strange, but not unfounded. “Are these the only members of your clan? You number so few.”

Goliath had to think of how much of the truth to share, he barely believed parts of his own history if he hadn’t been present to experience them. “We have more members of our clan, a whole generation, that is currently housed elsewhere. We are missing a member who is no longer completely Gargoyle, and we have banished one of our own within the past year.” Coldstone was more along the lines of three members and he didn’t know how to address the fact that he had been raised from the dead and fashioned together with various technology that Demona and Xanatos had devised. He was also not ready to reveal Avalon just yet. Angela had already been warned to be careful when talking about her hatchling years.

Kai hummed in understanding as he nodded. “A whole generation?”

“Aye lad, this world was deemed too dangerous for them yet.” Hudson slipped in the little white lie for him.

“I assume those are Angela’s siblings?” Kai pressed, his face was hard to read. Goliath didn’t know what it was that he wanted to hear. 

“Yes, she chose to come back with us after we paid them a visit.” He didn’t know how much more to add before it would take an effort to keep up the lie. His tail twitched, showing his annoyance in the continued line of questioning. 

“Hopefully after this, they will be able to join their Clan.” He smoothly added on, being wise and not pushing the matter further. 

“That’s the hope, but it has been many years since they have seen people and it may be wise for them to create their clan where they are now. I trust those who are looking after them with my life.” A heavy thing for a Gargoyle to say. One did not simply hand over eggs and hatchlings. 

Kai was taken aback at his admission but recovered himself with a flare of his wings. 

“That may be wise indeed. The world has changed, and will keep changing as we go forward.” Both he and Hudson make grunts of agreement. He could feel his speech style slipping more and more Gargoyle forms of communication into their conversation.

“The human, Elisa-” Goliath’s gaze snapped to Kai’s face and he bared his fangs. A low rumble bubbled up from his chest while his wings rose behind him. His tail thumped heavily against the stone floor. 

The other Gargoyles in the room froze, the Manhattan Clan bristling while the Ishimura became very still. 

Xanatos and Fox raised eyebrows as they watched the drama unfold around them. Rarely did they see Goliath or the others react so strongly or in such a feral manner. 

“Be wise in your next words lad.” Hudson drawled out.

Angela joined them, brushing past Goliath and bumping wings with Hudson before she took a position in the doorway, leaning against it and putting herself in a defensive position between everyone and the room where Elisa was resting. 

“Peace, peace, please.” Kai ducked his head and lowered his wings while raising his hands in the admission of defeat. 

Goliath ceased his rumble but kept his teeth slightly bared. 

“I was going to ask if she is a member of your Clan.” He kept his body language submissive and that pleased Goliath greatly.

“What does it matter?” He growled out, unsure of what the other wanted. It unsettled him and put him on edge to have attention drawn so blatantly to Elisa. 

Kai gestured to the others of his Clan who were slowly shifting in their seats again, “We have a code of conduct we follow, humans fall in a separate section than members of a Gargoyle Clan. We simply wish to treat her with respect.” 

Goliath sat back, settling his wings and covering his fangs. It was a respectful question, one that he could understand. Though, he did not regret his outburst. The other Clan needed to know that his own stood by her side, and they would not tolerate any snide remarks about her. 

“Yes, she is a member of our Clan. She is not a member of any generation but is in one of her own.” Out of the corner of his vision, he saw the others of his Clan settle back in, Angela was the last to drop the display. He knew she was also particularly protective of Elisa. 

“Thank you, now my Clan knows how to treat her accordingly.” He eyed the braids in Goliath’s hair but was wise enough to say nothing. 

“On that note, Xanatos, Fox, and their son are not members of the Clan but to be treated as extended family. They are a Clan all their own. Owen, their manservant, is also considered part of that Clan.” Hudson explained it well using terms familiar to Gargoyles without having to explain too deeply into the background of the relationships. 

Everyone in the room seemed to relax at once, now that Clans and positions were understood it became easier to breathe. 

Kai shifted the subject, choosing the next one wisely. “Tell me of New York? My Clan has seen quite a bit of it in movies, but does it truly live up to its reputation?”

Goliath fully relaxed, “You would have to talk to Brooklyn, my second in command. He and his brothers consume far more human media than I do. I prefer the libraries to the movie halls.” 

Brooklyn lumbered over to them, he and Kai launched into a discussion of cop and robber style movies, and how close they were to the real-life examples that the Manhattan Clan had once worked so hard in supporting Elisa with. The other two and Hudson soon joined in, shifting the gathering’s conversations to the comparison of the media portrayal of New York and what living within the city was like.

The trio were good at defusing the situation, the rest of the Ishimura Clan slowly eased back into conversation. 

Goliath excused himself, nodding to the room before he made his way to the garden. He wasn’t alone for very long, Angela brushed up against him. 

“Haven’t seen you that mad in a long time.” Her tail rested itself over his and she worked her way under his wing. “Can I tell you a secret?”

He raised an eye-ridge at her, “Secrets are meant to be kept, not shared.” He chided her. 

Angela rolled her eyes, “But it’s not really a secret.” 

“Then why did you ask if you could tell me a secret?” He ribbed at her, smiling at her exasperation. 

“You act like such a Father sometimes!” She pushed him away from her and huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. 

He laughed, “Maybe it is because I am one.” He sighed before sobering up. “Now, tell me your secret, not secret.” He extended a wing for her. 

She took him up on his offer and pulled close to him once more. 

“You know how Elisa and I have been hanging out more?” He had noticed that they were spending more time together, he was glad for it. 

“Yes, I appreciate it.” He admitted.

“Really?” There was a tone in her question that reminded him of some of the teenage characters he had once seen in a drama in passing. He didn’t like it one bit.

“Yes, I like it when members of the Clan seek each other out. The Trio adore her, but Brooklyn was truly the only one who sought out her companionship before you.” It was true, the others have been busy exploring their new world.

“I’ve been giving her private lessons.” She bit her lip and hugged him closer.

“In?” He wondered what the Princess had taught her. He knew she could read, do simple maths, and was well versed in European history. He needed to ask her how she felt about being raised by humans.

“Gargoyles.”

His blood froze for a second at her admission. His mind was in a tailspin but he kept himself composed enough to ask, “Gargoyle culture?” 

She hummed and nodded.

He took a deep breath in through his nose before he let it out in one long sigh. “Angela-“ He started.

“It was before you asked us not to!” She whined out. “I did it because the boys were being weird with her and she asked me to help her understand what was happening. It’s not her fault she wanted to know more about us.” She moved to face him, her wing-tips clasping his. “She wants to know everything, she’s like me in that we don’t know much, but we’re trying.” 

He could see the desperation in her eyes and he couldn’t be mad at her. So much had been taken away from her by not being raised by Gargoyles but she had gained other things instead. This was an example of that. 

She was caring and brash and more than willing to share with everyone around her. Of course she wanted to help Elisa. 

“I’m not mad at you, I can’t be mad at you.” His wingtips squeezed hers. “I just do not know what to do with the information you have given me. I told you and the others before I did not want to risk her. If I were to pursue her…” he shook his head. “There’s too much at risk.”

Angela pursed her lips, anger flashing across her face. “Have you ever asked her what she wanted?”

He pulled back, “Yes. We agreed I could not give her what she needed or wanted. I cannot give her a house or a family beyond the Clan. I cannot give her a normal life, one that she can enjoy and not fear what the other humans will think of her.” It hurt him to say it out loud. He was being selfish in keeping her so close, in letting her groom him and confide in him. 

“Goliath.” Her voice was hard. “Have you sat down with her, and seriously asked her? Or have you only overheard what it is that she wanted?” She emphasized the word ‘wanted’. It made him bristle to be put in a corner by his own child. 

“Child, you have no right to speak of this matter like this to me.” He released her wings and stepped back, stretching to his full height. 

“The last thing I’ll say to you on the matter is this,” she walked up to him and stuck her pointer finger right into his chest. “Put aside your fear and ask her. Ask her honestly and openly.” She dropped her wings and her shoulders drooped. “You might just be surprised at her answer.” 

With that, she left him to stew in the garden on his own.


	9. The Speech of Wings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took quite a few liberties in this chapter, as far as I know nothing had been mentioned with the uses of wings and tails are part of body language with Gargoyles. I could be wrong though! I wanted to play with it, and you'll see.
> 
> Also for those who comment and give kudos, thank you so much! If you want to leave kudos again but can't, feel free to send me an emoji ~!
> 
> In addition I am a lad, thought I would tack that on as people seem a little unsure what to refer to me as in the comments :3
> 
> (As of May 27th, this Chapter has been edited by the lovely Missyjenne)  
> \--------------------------------------------------

Bronx lifted his head and sniffed before his little stub of a tail started wagging like wild.

“Who is it, boy? Someone you like, huh?” She looked to the doorway.

Owen stood next to Natsilane, who smiled and waved her way before Bronx took out the poor man. She knew how heavy the creature was and she would have felt bad if it hadn't been so funny.

“What a way to welcome your guest!” He managed to get himself out from under the creature. “Missed you too buddy.” 

Elisa got up from the floor, putting Alex on her hip. “I didn’t think you would be here until later next week. Do you need a drink, or are you hungry?” Xanatos must have moved the dates of everything forward, that or he was just early.

“Nah, I’m okay.” He looked around the room, taking it all in. “I wouldn’t mind a tour though if you’ve got the time?” 

“Of course. Owen, are the others in the war room?” She handed Alex over to him. 

“Currently Xanatos, Goliath, and Kai are within the War Room. Fox is handling a business call, and the rest are scattered throughout the castle.” Alex reached up for his glasses, as he always did. “Now, Alex we do not grab my glasses.” He chided the boy. “What the others are up to, I have no clue.”

“Probably discussing classic movies.” She rolled her eyes. Ever since the first night the Ishimura Clan had joined them, they all gave her a wide berth and didn’t interact with her like they did the others. She wanted to talk to Angela about it, but the young Gargoyle was always busy or in the middle of one thing or another. 

“Other Gargoyles joined you guys? I’ve been following the news and they are speculating what Xanatos is up to, there’s been no official statement given though.” He shoved his hands in his pockets as he followed her. “The only reason why I know anything is because you guys kept me up to date.”

“We’ve had them here for three days, and it’s a little strange to have so many bodies in the castle.” Especially when the extra bodies tended to ignore her. “I’m not going to lie, I was expecting you to come next week.” They entered one of the many gardens.

“Ah, about that- we’ve had some weather problems up North. Xanatos and I figured it would be best to get me here earlier.” That made sense to her, his island was a long ways away, and Canada was far colder than New York in mid-autumn. It was only going to get colder from there on out. 

“Well, it’s not like we don’t have enough room to host you. This is the main garden, it connects to a majority of the castle. It’s easy to get lost if you don’t know the place.” She chuckled, thinking back to the first few weeks where she had been trying to figure her way around and hadn’t memorized the layout yet. “If you ever lose your way, I highly recommend finding the garden.”

He hummed his agreement while spinning around. “How many gardens does this place have?”

“Great question, I think three or four? The upper level has one but it’s more stonework than a garden; the lower level also has a garden but that’s mainly trees.” She rubbed her chin, trying to explain it to him. “You know what, I think the best option is to take you to the tower and let you have a top-down view.”

“Yes, please, I may have gone to school at Harvard but the campus wasn’t nearly as intimidating as this.” 

They chatted about his island on the way up; she was curious as to what happened after Oberon’s children had been called back to Avalon. They also chatted about nothing of importance and that was particularly nice. She was tired of the stress, and of constantly having to police what she said to Bluestone. 

This was a man who knew exactly what was going on and knew even some of the stranger parts of her reality. There was nothing to hide from him. 

“Here we are,” they exited the top of the tower, where the Gargoyles usually rested during the day. “If you need help labeling any of the buildings let me know.” She leaned against the stones and let the wind buffet her. 

“You weren’t lying when you said there was plenty of space. Where is the great hall?” He asked.

She pointed out the important buildings, telling him which rooms were in which sections. “The main hall is there, the war room is a little harder to find but we’ll help you, most of us sleep in this tower but there are bedrooms throughout the castle. I’ll have to ask Fox if she has anything set aside for you. The kitchens are that direction.” She wanted him to know the main places where everyone gathered. 

“Thanks, that helped me figure this place out a little.” He leaned against the stones as well. “This place is beautiful.”

She nodded, “Sometimes it’s like a dream.”

A castle, fantastical creatures, and even a dash of magic. This is where it all began, she could remember it like it was yesterday. The last year and a half had passed in the blink of an eye and so much, almost too much, had happened. She looked to the city below. She thought to herself how they didn’t know even half of what was out there. 

“Elisa? Doing okay there?” He tapped her shoulder. 

She had to pull herself out of her thoughts, “Yeah, I’m fine. Just, thinking. A lot has happened since the last time we saw each other.” She smiled at the memory, “Come on, let’s see if we can find the others. Last time we met you only saw Goliath, Angela, and Bronx. You’ve yet to meet the Trio and Hudson.” She let him back down the tower and started searching for the rest.

They ran into Aoi and Tanaka first. Aoi was a rather small Gargoyle. She was a usual color, a light blue-grey, and had a build similar to that of Sora. She only lacked the double horn that many members of her Clan possessed.

Tanaka looked as if he could have been the child of Sora and Yama, not that she would tell anyone that. She had seen the reactions Angela had brought up in the others when she mentioned that Coldstone was likely the father of her brother Micheal. 

“Good evening, Elisa and Elisa’s friend.” Aoi greeted them as they both gave a slight bow.

“Hi, Aoi.” Of the three Gargoyles that came with Kai, she had been the friendliest so far. “This is Natsilane, a friend of my Clan.” Goliath had warned her that Kai’s Clan was a little more traditional in that they liked to know where each member ranked, and how everyone was related to each other. “Do you know where Hudson is?”

Tanaka answered coolly, “Last I saw he was resting in the TV chamber.” She should have known. He liked to retreat there when it got too busy around the castle for his tastes. 

“Thank you, have a nice evening.” She tried to be more polite, and a little more formal around them. The cultural differences between their Clans were a little jarring at points.  
Once they were further down the hallway, Natsilane gave her a look. “What was that all about? The air between you guys was…”

“Strange.” She supplied for him.

“Yeah, and tense in a way I’ve never seen a Gargoyle act. Not like I know many Gargoyles but that just seemed off.”

“I’m glad I’m not the only one who sees it. Ever since the first night here they’ve been treating me strangely. I’ve asked Goliath about it and he hasn’t given me a straightforward answer. Even Angela, who I can trust to tell me the truth rather than a half-truth, has kept a tight lip on it.” She sighed in frustration. 

It was only a little bit of a walk until they reached the TV den; along the way she showed him the rooms, opening doors and telling him which rooms were private. Private rooms were few and far between, but some rooms always stayed locked, and Xanatos always dodged questions about what was behind the heavy oak doors.

“Hudson?” She peeked into the room. She was greeted by the Trio as well as the older Gargoyle. “Oh good!” She opened the door further. “You’re all here.”

Lexington waved her in, “Hi Elisa, we’re taking a break.”

“More like Goliath told us to leave.” Brooklyn tacked on angrily. He was in one of his moods again. 

Broadway. put a hand on his brother’s arm, “He’s just worried.”

“Worried and posturing around Kai still. I thought he was done with that.” Brooklyn crossed his arms and huffed.

“Lad, there’s more going on then we can see. Sometimes it is best to let the Clan Leader do as he will. Now, Elisa please introduce us to the man who is with you,” said Hudson. The older Gargoyle shifted to stand and extended a hand out for Natsilane to shake. 

She would have to ask them about the posturing Goliath was doing later, “This is my friend, Natsilane. Goliath, Angela, Bronx, and I met him while we were trying to get back from Avalon together.”

“Please, call me Nick.” He took Hudson’s offered hand without hesitation.

“Call me Hudson. The three behind me are Lexington,” the smaller Gargoyle waved and offered a smile, “Broadway,” he nodded to Nick, “And Brooklyn,” he gave Nick a smile and a wave as well. 

“It’s nice to finally meet all of you. Goliath spoke about having more Clanmates when he helped me reclaim my ancestor’s land, and I’ve been wanting to meet the rest of you since then.”

“Come, take a seat, tell us how Goliath helped you.” Hudson offered him a spot on the couch and turned down the TV. 

“I’m sure he and Elisa told you.” He took a seat.

“Aye, they did, but I’d like to hear your story. You represent a human who had no prior knowledge about Gargoyles or magic, and considered yourself a learned man.” Hudson settled into his overstuffed chair. “What was it that changed your mind?”

Elisa always had admired Hudson. He was weathered and grumpy, but also reminded her of a kindly grandpa who just wanted to help out. 

The other three nodded, even Broadway who still had a sour expression. 

Nick thought for a moment before saying, “It was seeing Goliath and the others. I was scared at first, but Elisa introduced them to me as her friends. My Grandmother and I had been taking care of her. When I found her she had been burning up with a fever and needed medical attention.”

She barely remembered first meeting him and his grandmother. Her body had been burning and she hadn’t known where the others were. It was one of the few times in their journey that she had truly been afraid and alone. 

“After that, it was easy to accept magic and fight the Raven.” He shrugged. “Anything seemed possible after having met Goliath.”

“But if Elisa hadn’t been there, how would you have felt?” Lexington asked.

It was a good question in her opinion. 

“I think I would have passed out,” he laughed for a moment, “It really was a shock, no offense meant, to see something out of a fairy tale standing before you.”

“Now you can imagine how I felt when I first met them all.” She chuckled. “The first time Goliath and I met I fell off this castle and he saved me. Was quite an experience, I would say.” The others chuckled and nodded, they all remembered that first day.

Hudson hummed and nodded, “Thank you. We can use that information to help other humans adjust. You are going to be to them as Elisa was to you, are you okay with that?”

“I would be more than happy too, Goliath and the others helped me take back my land and bring life to it again. If anything I and my people are in your debt.”

That seemed to be a common theme with those they helped on the journey Avalon sent them on. She had said it before, but as they continued to prepare to formally introduce Gargoyles to humanity and fate kept bringing those that they had helped before. Those that they helped never failed to mention that they felt indebted to the Manhattan Clan. 

“Debt or no debt, we appreciate your efforts and willingness.” Hudson smiled. 

Elisa checked her watch, she needed to head home soon. Tomorrow the Gargoyle Task Force was having a meeting to discuss some sightings and Elisa wanted to push for the GTF to demand Xanatos provide information on the Gargoyles. It was the next step in the Gargoyles Rights Movement that she and Xanatos were coordinating between the Pro Gargoyle Movement and the GTF. It was enough to make her head spin. 

Mr. Robbins, who was now living within the castle full time, was a great help but she was rarely able to meet with him. It was one of the downsides to having a full-time job.

“Do you need a lift home, Elisa?” Brooklyn was as perceptive as ever.

“If you don’t mind. Sorry Nick, you can ask Fox where you should sleep. I’ve got to head back and get ready for work tomorrow.” She apologized and took Brooklyn’s hand, he pulled her to her feet easily. “I won’t be able to come back for the next few days. Lex, will you be my eyes in the sky?” 

“You don’t even have to ask. You still got that earpiece and microphone right?” He had given them all one about a week ago. 

“Yup.” She pulled the collar of her turtleneck aside to show him the necklace. 

He nodded, pleased, “If anything happens I’ll let you know, don’t worry.”

“Thanks, I’ll see you guys in a little bit.” She waved goodbye, shutting the door behind her. “You sure you’ll have enough time to drop me off and get back here?” The nights were getting longer but she still worried.

He puffed up his chest, “Don’t you worry about me, I’ll be fine.”

They made their way outside. He hunched over and flared his wings for her. Once she was settled on his back, he threw himself off of the building and into the night sky.

\--------------------------------------------------

Goliath could feel the headache forming as Xanatos and Kai argued. 

“Clearly we have awareness.” Kai’s tail lashed back and forth, showing how annoyed the other Gargoyle was. 

“Yes, I won’t argue with you on that,” Xanatos leaned heavily on the table between them.

“But here you are.” He snapped back. 

“It’s not me that is arguing with you, it’s the courts! We are going to have to start at the first level, which is proving that you do have awareness.” How many times would he have to listen to them circling around in the same argument.

“Consciousness is something that humans have always had a hard time coming to terms with in species besides our own.” Xanatos also seemed to have a headache from the way he kept rubbing the bridge of his nose. “A classic way of doing so was the mirror test, which we’ve already done and you will know what to expect.”

They had done that test nearly a month ago, and to no one’s surprise, Goliath and the rest had passed it easily. 

“Both you and Goliath clearly have language, both of you understand and use English whereas you, Kai, were raised speaking Japanese. Both of you can read and write in your respective languages, which we will have to prove but that can be done easily enough. You also have an extensive array of body language that humans cannot replicate, as we do not have tails or wings.”

Xanatos was a smart man, he was moving Kai away from his earlier spat and putting him into the logic circle they had been tracing for nearly a month. Goliath was getting tired of the repetition and wanted to be done with the ordeal. 

“We also experience pain, and we bleed.” Kai crossed his arms over his chest, his tail stilling. “We’ve proven that as well.”

Xanatos continued, “We can’t explain stone-sleep, apart from that it is part of the natural rhythm of Gargoyle life.”

He wanted to be anywhere but the War Room. Kai’s Clan was slow to accept Elisa as one of his own and it showed. Elisa was pulling away from them, choosing to stay away rather than be faced with awkward situations. 

After all their years and generations living and existing, even teaching humans, it was hard for them to adjust to the idea that she was one of them. Or at least as close to being one of them as a human could get. 

He had given Angela his blessing to keep teaching Elisa about Gargoyle culture, behaviors, and even language.

Xanatos was correct in his assumption of the body language, but it was more than posturing. It added a sublayer to the language in a way that human body language could not mimic. How one held their wings or tails when speaking with an elder or a friend showed the closeness or formality of the situation. 

As a youngling, he and his siblings had gotten extensive training on how to hold ones’ body and what was considered correct by his Clan’s standards. Each Clan varied in their style, but the basics remained the same.

That was another part of the issue. Kai’s Clan had a completely different way of communicating with their wings and tails, and sometimes both Clans got lost in the translations. 

He continued to watch the two going back and forth, not feeling the need to add his voice to the conversation. They had moved onto neuroscience. Kai was a highly educated individual, Xanatos had said as much himself, and was knowledgeable enough to stand toe to toe with Xanatos on the issue.

“Why should we allow them to hook us up to their machines?” His wings flared, challenging Xanatos’ position. 

The man sighed, his shoulders slumping. “One way or another, they are going to ask to study you. We can put it on our terms but it is going to happen whether you agree to it or not.”

“My Clan will be the ones studied, I offer myself willingly.” He pinned Xanatos with his gaze, the man had made a clone of him before. There was little damage that could truly be done to him by any other scientist. “Xanatos already has a copy of my DNA as well as my biometrics. You do not have to worry about placing your Clan in the hands of scientists.” He rolled his shoulders and stood up from his seat. 

Before they could launch into the circle of debate again, someone knocked on the heavy double doors. 

Goliath thanked whoever it was under his breath, whoever they were and whatever news they had would be better than the next part of the circle which always put his mind in a bind. He did not like discussing metacognition and loathed how much joy it brought Xanatos to see him so lost in the conversation. 

Xanatos opened the door to be greeted by Owen and Alex. 

“I thought it best to inform you that Natsilane has arrived safely. He is with Elisa now, getting a tour of the castle.” Alex reached out for his father. 

“Excellent, thank you. Be sure to get his chambers ready for him, I’m sure Fox has something set aside for him.” Alex settled comfortably into his father’s arms.

The boy seemed to grow every day. His parents claimed it was due to his status as a halfling, but to Gargoyles, humans aged quickly. 

“I think we have discussed all we can discuss tonight. Tomorrow Elisa is going to ask the Gargoyle Task Force to make an official inquiry into Gargoyles and demand that I start providing documentation on your species. We will have to draft up a codex for your species, and maybe even a scientific name.” He kissed the crown of his son’s head. “That is going to be tomorrow’s work though; please, the two of you go rest.”

Kai grumbled but Goliath was grateful. 

He left the two of them behind, speaking to Owen about his plans for the green energy he and Fox were currently in the planning stages for. 

The two exchanged looks before heading out into the upper garden. It was cold outside for a human but to them, it was a nice temperature. 

“Your benefactor is a strange man,” Kai commented, his wings and tail neutral. 

Goliath let out a laugh, “One could say that. He is thorough in his studies, and even when his plans go awry he always gets a favorable outcome.” The man was famous for his schemes. “My Clan and I battled against him for nearly a year, I am glad he is no longer my enemy.” He had slowly begun explaining his Clan’s history to Kai, but he kept more of the mystical happenings out of his narrative. 

“I would rather fight ten of Taro rather than one of him.” The other Gargoyle was silent, Goliath could tell he was thinking of a question.

“You may freely ask me what you like.” Maybe he wasn’t conveying it well enough, wing-speech had lost its place in his clan. “If my reaction to your question about Elisa is holding you back, please do not worry. My Clan is protective of our own, just as you are of yours.”

“I wanted to ask you about Ms. Elisa, and some of the other humans, if you would permit me.” 

“Ask freely.” He reassured the other. His instincts were a little more buried and easier to contain. His hair was not braided and he had not just returned from an unfinished grooming session. He refused to admit it to the others when they had later joked about it, but he had been frustrated. 

“How can you understand them? They don’t have wings or a tail; even with our communication errors, the two of us still understand each other far better than when I try to communicate with Elisa and the others.” The question was puzzling to Goliath.

“Hasn’t your Clan lived beside humans for centuries?” In that time he would have assumed that they would have figured out a way to make up for the lack of wings and tails, his clan had done so before their long sleep. He did admit that sometimes it made communication a little rough, but nothing that verbal words could not settle. 

Kai nodded, understanding Goliath’s confusion, “You and your Clan have experience living amongst Europeans and Americans, their culture and my country’s are far removed from each other. In my experience, it is due to a different understanding of social cues. The people who have lived with my Clan are highly perceptive and can read our wings and tails as they read a human's body language.”

People who were raised among Gargoyles and were exposed to their culture were quick to pick up on the nuances.

“I find that Americans have a harder time, they do not respond as I am used to being responded to. They do not understand the nuances of what I have said.” He looked Goliath’s way before shifting his eyes away, “I am curious that despite all of your wing-speak that Elisa and Xanatos seem unable to understand you, and how do you handle being unheard?”

He raised an eye-ridge at the other, he had not expected him to be so perceptive. 

“You stated before that Xanatos and his mate were not members of your Clan, but how your wings speak, you consider them close family members,” He shifted nervously, “Your wings also speak volumes when Elisa is around and the others of you Clan treat her as they would treat your mate, and yet-”

Goliath let out a rumble, “Go no further in that statement. I stated you may ask freely, not make assumptions about my Clan or my personal life.” He did not like how observant he was.

He took a deep breath to steady himself before speaking. “The speech of wings and tails was something that my Clan has never considered important in communicating with humans. Our ancestors never saw fit to teach those we protected because we did not interact with them as you interact with your people. We protected a castle and in turn, were protected during the day; when there was no protecting to be done and no wars to be fought, we stayed separate from them.” Only he and Demona interacted with humans in extensive amounts, he as a leader and she as a student to a mage. 

He knew this would be something that would have to be addressed eventually, and that he should have planned a better explanation. 

“We cannot expect them to learn a language they have no hope of communicating in. I have not spoken to Xanatos about it and I do not intend on doing so. You may do as you wish with your Clan and your people, but my own have adapted to rely less on wing speech. As I’m sure you have noticed.” `Was this the point of friction between their clans?` He wondered to himself. 

Kai nodded, “I admit it does make my companions and myself nervous on occasion. Your wings are silent when we feel they should not be.” He flexed his, making a point and adding a respectful dip. “It particularly makes Tanaka suspicious as he feels you are not being truthful with us on occasion.” He admitted.

Goliath let out a long breath, “Everything makes more sense now. Wing speech is something my Clan has lost; we still have it, but we do not have the numbers where it is important when interacting with your Clanmates.” He hated to admit this in front of the other. Lack of numbers was a sign of weakness, it meant the Clan was doomed to die out. “I have not taught Angela, and she was raised by humans. Hudson and I use it when we speak together or with the Trio, but the Trio are also young by our standards. The children of my Clan were also raised by humans.” Avalon was something he had mentioned in passing but had not truly explained. 

Kai’s wings read as unsettled and slightly disturbed for which Goliath could not blame the more traditional Gargoyle. “I had not considered that your Clan’s history is both long and old while still also being so young.”

“Sleeping for a thousand years will do that.” He chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. “I apologize, my Clan has made yours uncomfortable and alienated.”

Kai shook his head, “No, it is not your fault. We were not sensitive to your past and had not considered your Clan’s history with humans was so different from my own.” He bowed in apology. “I shall explain this to the rest and I am sure any remaining tensions will be gone.”

“Thank you, I greatly appreciate it. Also, please tell your Clan to refrain from treating Elisa as my-” He choked on the word, having a hard time saying it aloud, “as my mate. She is simply a highly respected member of the Clan.”

Kai nodded in understanding, wise to say nothing else. 

“Hey there, Boss.” Brooklyn landed heavily in front of him. “I saw Elisa home, she said that she might not be able to drop by for a while.” He did a mock salute. 

“Thank you, maybe she will finally get some rest.” He sighed and shook his head.   
Brooklyn laughed, “Knowing her? Not a chance.” He turned and waved to Kai. “Evening Kai, is your meeting with Xanatos done for the night?” He questioned the two of them. 

“Yes, Xanatos believes we have prepared ourselves; the next step is reliant on Ms. Elisa.” He had refused to drop the honorifics but his wings were less involved than before, not that Brooklyn would understand the significance. 

The Trio had once been educated, but there was no one to reinforce it with here. 

Brooklyn hummed before his wings startled, “Oh! Natsilane is here, did you hear that from anyone?” 

Both nodded, “Owen informed us.” Goliath answered.

“We should introduce him to your Clan, he’s a friendly person and is interested in hearing your Clan’s stories.” Broadway turned back to Goliath, “Do you know when everyone else will be arriving?”

“No, Xanatos is still negotiating with some of our guests. We will have to wait and see.” Goliath responded. 

The three made their way back into the castle, Kai off in search of his Clanmates, and Goliath to go greet his guest and friend.


	10. The Death of Culture

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the love and comments :3
> 
> (As of June 2nd, this chapter has been edited by the lovely Missyjenne)  
> \--------------------------------------------------

Elisa wanted nothing more than to slam her head into the meeting room table. Hacker had dug in his heels with asking Xanatos for information about the Gargoyles, saying that they had no authority to ask him for it. 

Bluestone put a cup of coffee in front of her; she hadn’t heard him leave or come back. 

“Will you arrest me if he goes missing?” She muttered darkly as she took a sip.

He chuckled, “Nope.” 

“Why is he fighting us on this? You were his partner once, explain this to me.” She eyed him as he sat heavily in the seat across from her.

“He probably has a plan and it involves stalling us.” He rolled his eyes and shrugged. 

“I don’t like that, you know this force has no point right now. There is no way Xanatos or myself are going to let them fly in the city right now. We’ve even banned them trying to come visit me.” It was necessary at this point, they didn’t know where John was hiding, and the QuarryMen had quieted down with the Gargoyles lack of activity had taken. 

“I know, you know, but they don’t know and we can’t let them know.” Bluestone leveled a look at her. “We just need to keep being ‘useful’, something is going to break and he will give in. I’m certain.” 

“For their sake, I hope you’re right.” She rested her head on the desk and took a deep breath. “How much longer till we have to go back in?”

“You've got seven minutes.” 

“Perfect, just enough time for a quick nap.” She joked. She could sleep after their work was done. They all sat around the table staring down Martin. 

“You know what? I put it to vote. Those who want to make a formal request of Mr. Xanatos concerning the Gargoyles, please raise your hands.” She was done with fooling around, they were the Gargoyle Task Force and it was time to deal with some Gargoyles. 

Bluestone, Chug, Morgan, and Travanti all raised their hands with her.

“Thank you, we have a five to four in favor. We will make a formal request. I shall draft up the document. I will keep you all in the loop as to what the request says and you may also suggest edits.” She took a deep breath and nodded in turn to those who had agreed with her. 

“Is there anything else we need to talk about today?” Martin asked coolly.

Everyone glanced at Bluestone who shook his head.

“All right then, I’ve got other business to attend to.” With that, he got up and left. 

She raised her eyebrow and looked at Bluestone. He shrugged. 

“Well, then I’m going to start up that draft if anyone wants to join me.” She shuffled all her papers together and put them in her bag. 

“I’ll join you in a minute, I need to talk to the Boss and let her know what we have decided to do.”

She left the rest behind as she went to her desk. The papers were scattered across it, and the coffee Bluestone had given her joined a growing pile of used cups. Her machine booted up pretty quickly considering it was prime time for everyone to be connected to the networks. 

The request would be formatted as a letter but would carry the seal of the department, and it would be signed by all the members of the committee that had agreed to the movement. It also needed to be approved by Chavez.

Nearly all of the first draft had been completed by the time Bluestone offered another cup of joe as a sacrifice. 

“Took enough time, anything interesting happen?” She took the offering gratefully, watching him closely. 

“Yeah, Boss is fine. We were discussing Martin and why he would fight so hard to oppose what we wanted. Neither of us could make heads or tails out of it.” He pushed the edge of his blazer open as he leaned against her desk, putting his other hand on his hip. “How goes your letter?”

She pushed away from the desk, “Read it over for me? Not aloud this time, please.” Elisa smirked at him and gave him some space. 

It took him a minute, he looked at her nodding and giving the weird half smile-frown he did when he was still in the middle of forming a thought. 

“I’ve never been eloquent in my writing, you are hitting all the right notes,” he leaned in and whispered, “ and leaving out the pieces he can read between the lines about.”

“That’s the point.” She winked and moved back to her previous spot. “I’m going to adjust a bit of it with fresh eyes tomorrow before we hand it over together.” 

It felt good to finally be doing something useful.

“Sounds good, you should clock out now and go get some rest. I know you were up late last night.” He wasn't wrong. Brooklyn had dropped her off an hour before sunrise, but she hadn’t been able to settle in and sleep. 

Too much was happening that she couldn’t help with, and her mind was in a frenzy trying to cope with the lack of control she had in her life. 

“I’ll clock out in an hour, you can march me out of here if it makes you feel better.” She laughed as he shook his head and let her be. 

The extra hour on the clock was just enough time for her to finish the first draft and edit the whole thing while formatting it. It was nothing fancy, but she didn’t have any other letters to use as a reference point so she had to be careful with her wording. Chavez would also read it over but Elisa wanted to give her something polished.

Bluestone returned just as the hour was up. 

“All right, time for you to go home. The sun has set and it’s time for bed,” he joked as she saved the document and took his hand. He pulled her to her feet. “Tomorrow we’ll go over it with Chavez and then make an official statement. I’ll be the one to deliver the letter as well.”

She agreed with him; they had figured out how to sneak her in and out of the tower, but it was better to play it safe and stay away for a few days since the media was sure to swarm anyone or anything that got too close to the tower. 

The others already knew that she would be spending some time away, and Lexington would keep her up to date if anything changed. She needed the rest. 

“Okay, I’ll see you out.” Bluestone linked arms with her and walked her to the front door. He seemed to want to say something to her, but the words were caught in his throat. “Elisa?”

“Yeah?” She put her hands on her hips.

“Please, get some rest. Real rest.”

“I’m trying.”

“I know.” He chewed the inside of his cheek.

“You also need to get some sleep, I see the bags under your eyes too.” She shook a finger at him while walking down the stairs.

He laughed and waved her off, “I’m not the one pulling doubles!”

She waved goodbye and continued down the street. The parking lot they used wasn’t too far away. The nights were getting chillier but it wasn’t quite winter yet. Time had passed in odd ways since her introduction to the Gargoyles. 

Six months had passed during their time with Avalon, but it had felt like way less. 

Elisa had parked under one of the street lamps. While they had been bouncing around the world, her parents had taken care of almost everything; well almost everything. Broadway had taken Cagney by the time they were able to get the doors of her apartment opened by the police. 

She unlocked her door and slumped into her seat. It had been a long day; if she were to be honest with herself it had been a long week, a long month even. She sighed and tipped her head back.

“All right. Time to go home, take a bath, and go to bed.” She chanted that to herself the short drive home. 

Cagney was more than pleased to see her come in the door, she had missed giving him his dinner again. 

“Sorry, late night.” She filled his bowl and pulled out leftovers from the day before. They were quick to heat and even quicker to eat. It was nice to have a quiet apartment after having been so busy.

She brushed out her hair while her bath filled.

It brought back memories of having sat down Goliath and braiding his hair, little had she known what her actions had meant at the time but Angela was a good teacher. To be honest, she had never associated Gargoyles with grooming; sure they were more touchy-feely than she could have ever imagined, but putting so much importance into hair and ritualistic grooming had been interesting to hear about. 

Her intentions that first night were to simply have a quiet night and to express her interest in him. She certainly had accomplished that. 

Elisa moved back to the bathroom shedding the day's clothes as she went. 

The water was warm and her body was tired. 

Her latest lesson with Angela has been on a topic that even Angela was still learning about. She called it wing-speech and it was fascinating. Elisa couldn’t mimic it but she had started to grasp its meaning by the end of their little lesson. 

The younger Gargoyle was so similar to her little sister, both in age and demeanor. It made her want to help the girl, even moreso when it came to modern-day life; though Angela was rather fast at picking up new terms and understanding technology. Just like the Trio, she was always more than willing to work with something new. 

Angela had started opening up about being raised by humans, Elisa wasn’t sure if Goliath had talked to her about it yet or not to be honest. She was simply glad that the young Gargoyle trusted her enough to talk about something so personal. 

“It’s strange,” She had leaned against Elisa, wrapping a wing partially around her shoulder. “Sometimes instincts just come boiling up from somewhere within me and it’s nice to know that it is normal. Princess and Tom never had explanations for my siblings and I.”

Elisa had nodded along, understanding some of the context. Her family history was a little complicated; her parents had raised her and her siblings to respect the histories that they each came from. 

“Sometimes I don’t feel like a Gargoyle,” she hugged Elisa tighter.

Elisa shushed her, “All cultures are learned. A baby isn’t born or hatched knowing what their family’s morals or values are. They don’t inherently know body language,” she had run a hand through Angela’s mane. “We all learn something new every day, don’t worry.”

She had meant it when she said it. Angela had great teachers and siblings that understood that she was a little different. Goliath and Hudson were also trying their best to expose her to things even the Trio were less learned on. 

The hot water had worked into her muscles, it wasn’t hot enough to unwind the knots but it was enough to ease the dull thrum between her shoulder blades. Being hunched over at a desk all day was the worst.

Jason came to mind as she slid further into the bath. She felt terrible for the poor man, from having his legs taken away, to his brother running mad with hate and grief. There was still no word on John Castaway, his QuarryMen had also disappeared from the media spotlight and it made her nervous. 

Knowing where one’s enemies were was half the battle, and it felt like they were losing the fight on that front. They wouldn’t be stupid enough to assault Xanato’s castle, she was sure of that. 

She ducked her head under the water and worked her fingers through her hair, adding a dollop of shampoo. 

The QuarryMen had tried to target Mr. Robbins and they had reacted quickly, taking the man into the tower and giving him even more protection than before. 

Lexington had also boosted the defense of the castle with the help of Xanatos; it was practically the safest place to be in all of New York, maybe all of America. 

Even with everything in place she was uneasy, waiting for the rug to be pulled out from under her. John was too smart, too wealthy, and filled with too much hate to stay laying low like this. 

It felt great to wrap herself up in her pajamas and crawl into bed. Cagney was quick to follow her, curling up in the space behind her knees. 

“We get to go to bed at a normal time for once,” she reached down and scratched his ear. 

Her bed was soft and warmed quickly. She needed a good rest.

_______________________________________________

Goliath wondered if human medicine would work on a Gargoyle. Kai and Xanatos were once again talking logic circles around one another. 

Fox, Brooklyn, Hudson, and Angela had gone off to go pick up their guests coming from London. Lexington was off with his technology, and Broadway was likely with him. 

He didn’t know where Kai’s three companions were, not that he was worried about them but he did want to keep track of those in his domain. It was turning into a rather stormy night which was odd for New York in autumn. He did not fear the storm, if anything he would have preferred to be sitting under the waves of rain and thunder than to sit in the room than listen to the other two continue to bicker. 

Tensions had eased considerably since he had spoken to Kai about the lack of wing-speech in his Clan, that they meant no disrespect and miscommunication when they weren’t actively using it. 

He wondered how the balance would be between their three clans when Griff, Una, and Leo made it to the castle. Una and Leo were strong personalities who followed a very strict way of life, but Griff was still the same as he had been during World War II and that had taken some adjusting to. Well, at least from what Una had said it seemed that way. 

The London Clan was far more socialized than his own, with their numbers somewhere in the hundreds but that hadn’t been confirmed by Griff. He understood the need for secrecy, knowing the numbers of another’s Clan could be dangerous information if it fell into the wrong hands. 

Goliath excused himself from their squabble and instead headed for the kitchens. It was there that he met Owen, who had reverted to his Puck form, and Alexander. 

“I’m teaching him how to transform foods, you can stay and watch if you like.” Puck clapped his hands, glad for an audience to perform for. 

“As long as the magics do not affect me.” He rummaged through the kitchen and produced eggs and bread. Elisa had taught him how to toast bread and fry eggs. Simple, effective, and delicious. 

“Now Alexander, the incantation goes like this: ‘The spirits we must attune, turn this food to a king’s boon’.” The apple in front of him shifted to a roast Goliath could not smell. “Remember, it is an illusion, not real. It should not be eaten.” Puck rolled on the floor.

Little Alex sat cross-legged, his gaze burning into the apple before him as he stumbled to form the right words. “The spirit we must attune-“

“‘Spirits’, don’t rush.” Puck was suddenly serious. “Magic may be fun and games, but we must also be careful.” 

Goliath had seen many sides to the man in front of him. He much preferred Owen to Puck, but Puck did have his benefits. He adored Alex and kept him safe, that was enough in Goliath’s book to trust him when it came to certain things. Mainly things that concerned Alex. 

Eventually, the apple in front of the boy became a bowl of pudding. An interesting choice considering what Puck’s had become. 

Arcane arts had never been something that he wanted to be learned in, that had been Demona’s interest. He knew a few spells, but none that were useful beyond certain situations. 

“Now, the next step is to undo what has been done.” Puck sat cross-legged across from his young pupil. 

Alex nodded, “Gotta fix it.”

The speed of human growth never failed to astonish him. Gargoyles aged quickly when young but reached a point where stone-sleep kept them youthful by human standards. Gargoyles’ age was shown in different ways, and many of them were hard for humans to spot.

Alex’s parents were adamant that his quick growth was due to his lineage.

Having a child not even a year old speaking and performing acts of magic was something that laid out of the norm in Goliath’s opinion. 

“Yes, we must fix this.” Puck nodded solemnly. “‘Let me feel what is real, what is fake doth unmake’.” The roast shimmered back into an apple. “Now you, remember that you must be careful. Magic can be played with, but it has teeth we cannot see.”

Surprisingly deep advice from someone he considered unhinged. 

Alex nodded, deep in concentration before he spoke again, “Let me feel what is real, what is fake doth unmake.” The apple shimmered back into reality.

“Excellent! You’ve done a good job.” Puck leaped to his feet and scooped up the child. “That is a sufficient amount of training for today.” His facade melted away until Owen was standing before him. “Fine work Alexander.” He gave Goliath a nod as he left the room.

He sat in relative silence and ate his breakfast. The castle hummed with sounds that had never echoed with before. Running water, electricity, and the air-ways were all things that had taken some getting used to. The world had moved quickly while they had slept.

Talking with Kai reminded him how much time his Clan had lost. Much of their culture had been cut away with the destruction of their brethren. Centuries of knowledge lost, in mere moments. He didn’t like to think back on it, but it kept the memories of everyone alive. 

He needed to sit down and write out the stories and mythos of his Clan. He needed to teach Angela about her ancestors. He needed to keep them all together as a united front. Brooklyn had been particularly rebellious since the Ishimura Clan had joined their ranks and he hoped that with the London Clan he would calm down. Their culture was far more similar to his own, and maybe that would bring the young Gargoyle back to his senses. He didn’t want to challenge his Clanmate, but he would put the youngling back in his place if he needed to. 

He could hear the rumble of the engines as they approached. 

Goliath wanted a few more moments of peace, but that was too much to ask of the universe. He sprayed down his dishes, washed them, and put them away. 

There was a level of convenience with living in the castle that clock tower simply had not had the amenities for. Elisa had done a good job in making the place more comfortable and adding things for them, but it wasn’t the same as living in a home designed to be lived in. 

He exited the kitchens and padded through one of the gardens. Winter was just around the corner and the long nights were a nice treat. He wished Elisa was there to help greet their new guests, but she needed to stay away for the time being. Xanatos and Elisa had decided together that with the ramp in the Gargoyle Task Force’s demands that she needed to distance herself for her own safety.

Between her inability to come to visit and the flying ban that had been placed on his Clan and the Ishimura Clan, he did not know when he would see her next. 

He heard them before he saw them. 

Griff’s voice drifted down the hallway from the hanger, “Reminds me of the old eerie, before we moved to Knight’s Spur.” Una’s and Leo’s voices chimed in but he could not quite make out what they were saying. 

The door to the hangar was cracked open slightly, he pushed it further and saw that two more members of the London Clan had joined them. 

“Ah, Goliath!” Griff broke away from his companions to grasp Golaith’s forearm. “Long time no see, “How have you been?”

“We’ve been doing well, and you?” He squeezed the other’s arm before letting go.

“Been doing good myself, been busy at the shop and I always enjoy knocking a few Nazi’s around.” He shook his head in disappointment, “Shall I introduce my other Clan members?” They turned to the two newcomers. “This is Constance,” he motioned to the other Gargoyle.

Her snout and fur reminded Goliath of the wild boars that had run rampant in parts of his original territory. The London Clan’s members' forms all seemed to come from classic heraldic art rather than his Clan’s more traditional reptilian forms. He wondered when the split happened. 

“And this is Staghart.” He motioned to the shockingly white stag of a Gargoyle beside him. 

“Pleasure.” Staghart extended a hand that Goliath clasped.

“Welcome to my home. I am the leader of the Manhattan Clan. My Clan and I live alongside Xanatos, whose mate you have already met.” She was still somewhere within the ship, he could hear her and Angela speaking to each other. 

“Yes, Angela was able to update us on what has most recently happened. We would also like to meet the Ishimura Clan.” Una stepped forward. She had an air of power about her. She was the leader of the Clan, and anyone who gazed upon her knew that fact. 

Leo, her mate, was close behind her. Angela, Fox, and Hudson appeared out of the belly of the craft. 

“Angela and I have business to attend to, if you need anything you can find me in the main office.” She linked arms with the younger Gargoyle and left the rest behind. 

“I’ve had my fill of excitement lad, I’ll be retreating.” Hudson also left, not that he blamed him. Traveling and being awake for so long was strange and felt unnatural. They slept with the sun and rose with the moon, and it had always been that way. Technology had given them strange and wonderful opportunities to break the laws of their nature.

Goliath caped his wings and led them all out of the hanger. Kai and Xanatos were surely still locked in a verbal battle in the war room. 

He found them as he had left them, but their topic had shifted back to neuroscience and its nuances. 

“Our guests have arrived,” he announced as he pushed open the doors. 

“Ah, just the faces I wanted to see.” Xanatos extended a hand to Una. “Pleasure to meet you, and welcome to America.”

“The pleasure is mine, thank you for hosting.” She could certainly be charming when she wanted to be. Her wings flicked slightly as she motioned to her companions. “This is my mate, Leo,” she motioned to the lion of a Gargoyle. “And these are the guards to my Clan: Griff, Constance, and Staghart.”

“Nice to meet you, please, if you need anything to let me or Fox know and we will handle it as soon as possible. Owen is also at your disposal in case I or Fox are called away on business.” He stepped back and took his position at the table. 

“I am Kai, leader of the Ishimura Clan. I have heard much about you.” He reached with both hands and Una responded in turn. 

“I’m sure you’ve heard nothing but the best.” She glanced at Goliath. 

“The members of my Clan are not currently present, but there are four of us. Tanaka, Nakagawa, and Aoi are all guards of my Clan and our home.” He released her arms but didn’t step back to the table. 

“Now that introductions are well underway, and we have the leaders of the three Clans here, I have some questions. We should sit down to discuss them.” Xanatos grabbed one of his tablets.

He led them to the main hall, and they all sat down in the seats around the large center table. 

“Each of your Clans has a different origin, culture, and way of life. You are all Gargoyles, but like humans there are differences.” He set the tablet down in front of him, he clasped his fingers in an all too familiar way in front of his mouth. 

Goliath knew that he was scheming something, but he would go along with it for now. 

“What I need you all to do is agree on central key points of your culture.” Xanatos looked to each of them around the table. “Things have changed, like the usage of names and the handling of money.”

“This would help us have a standing in society, correct?” Una leaned back in her chair, shifting her wings to fall on either side of the armrests. 

“It would give the humans basic knowledge on us and our ways, it would also help with the case of proving that we can think for ourselves and are similar to, but different from humans,” Kai added, he and Xanatos must have talked at length about this. 

“Goliath's Clan and my Clan recently had a conversation about wing-speech and it helped relieve some of the tensions we had been feeling.” He supplied further. 

Una and Leo looked at each other and nodded. “My Clan too uses less wing-speech but that is due to our more animalistic appearance and that we have feathered wings.” 

“What is it that makes us Gargoyles.” Goliath finally spoke. “We have stone-sleep when the sun is up, awaken at night, and we protect Clan and home.” Xanatos began jotting down notes. 

“We lay eggs that take ten years to hatch, and they hatch around the spring solstice,” Una added.

Leo reached for her hand, “We typically mate for life.”

“We have no religion as humans do, instead we believe that things return to where they come from. We honor our dead with a wind ceremony.” Griff looked deep in thought as he made his statement. 

Xanatos’ interest was piqued at the mention of the wind ceremony.

“Would someone explain the ceremony a little bit more?” He asked. 

Goliath answered with, “when a Gargoyle has passed we either burn the flesh until it is no more, or grind their stone form until it is dust. We throw this dust to the wind and everyone, friend and foe alike, are allowed to speak of the dead.” He had never given his fallen Clan the ceremony that they deserved. There simply hadn’t been enough time. 

“This ceremony is also performed for eggs that do not hatch. We close it by saying, ‘ashes to ashes’ and then we return to normal life. We grieve but it is different. Life and death are part of a circle to our kind.” Staghart looked around the table and the rest nodded, agreeing with him. 

“Excellent, do you have any other ceremonies that Gargoyles as a whole would know about?” Xanatos seemed to be honestly curious. Goliath had never sat down with the man and talked about his ways like this. 

Constance shifted in her seat, her wings speaking of mild discomfort. “This isn’t a ceremony, but female Gargoyles are only able to lay three eggs in their lifetime. When they are 50, 70, and 90 years of age. We become fertile around the autumnal equinox and the eggs are laid during the spring equinox, as we said earlier.” The rest nodded and agreed. 

“It’s not a ceremony, but an intrinsic part of who we are,” Griff explained. 

“I have heard that the culture around raising children is communal, with biological parents being unaware of who their offspring may be?” Xanatos asked. 

Goliath nodded, “Yes, Gargoyles that hatch in the same season are Rookery Sisters and Brothers. They are children of the Clan and belong to all members. Do your Clans practice this still? My Clan has no young beside Angela and we have no eggs.” He tried to keep his sadness out of his voice. Home was not a home without eggs and young. 

Una spoke up, “yes, my Clan still practices communal life. Though, we have limited pairs to two eggs to not outgrow our property.” He saw the pain in her eyes.

“My Clan as well, we do not have to limit the number of hatchlings yet, but our numbers are getting to the point where it is going to be hard to continue to hide.” Kai rubbed his chin. 

“Okay, so that’s the same throughout the Gargoyle culture. What about protecting territories? Goliath and his Clan have claimed all of Manhattan as their territory to protect.” Xanatos set down his tablet and rested his elbows on the table. 

“My Clan had begun to protect the streets of London again, with the return of Griff.” She locked eyes with Goliath. They had already said their apologies but he knew she was still trying to pay back his Clan for bringing Griff back to her. 

Kai was the next to speak, “My Clan has lived beside the humans of our town for generations. We both protect them, and teach them the way of Bushido.” 

“Excellent, so all of your Clans act as defenders of human life and the cities you all exist in.” He jotted that down on his notepad. His next question was, “What do Gargoyles think of money?”

Una answered first. “My Clan runs a shop so that we may pay for the land our home is on. We already act as a normal part of human society.” The rest of her Clan agreed with her. 

“We use the money from the shop to pay for our land and to augment our food supplies,” Leo added on. 

“That makes sense, you are already participating in human culture in a way that will make our job of proving that it can be done a little easier.” He chuckled before turning to Kai. “You teach humans and protect their city, in turn do they give you money for it?”

“No, we don’t accept payment or donations in money. Instead, we have reached the agreement that they help us with food and the upkeep of our temple.” 

“That makes sense as well, the human community has come together to help and support you.” He turned to Goliath next. “I know you do not deal with money and I’m not asking for rent.” Goliath nodded in agreement. 

“Our kind differs mainly in small cultural differences, the use of wing-speak, how traditions are passed down, and how our histories have affected us.” Kai leaned heavily on one arm, letting his wings shift behind him. “As you said before, we are similar to humans in that we have nuanced differences.” 

Xanatos hummed, “I think this is a good way to formally introduce your kind. Sometime tomorrow we should receive a formal letter from Bluestone, stating that I am to begin handing over information about the Gargoyles that I may or may not have.” He smirked at the wording. “I am going to counter offer that I will give information about Gargoyles only if I am given a press conference when you and I will all be there to answer questions from the public.”

Goliath, Kai, and Xanatos had spent the better part of two weeks planning out how the conference would likely go and what questions would likely arise. 

“There I will first introduce what Gargoyles are, then I will introduce all of you. From there I will have our witnesses make statements of support in front of the cameras and possible crowd. This interview may or may not take place in a courthouse, we will have to wait and see how the Gargoyle Task Force handles my counter offer.” He leaned back, clearly pleased with his plan. “I will continue to work on this draft and bring it back tomorrow for your approval. Thank you.” He was sincere in this thanks, Goliath wondered what exactly he had been scheming before. 

“We shall stand for our rights.” Una looked at Leo and gripped his hand. 

“Mine as well, our future depends on it.” Kai was ready to leave the shadows behind. 

Goliath looked around the table. They were all willing to throw away the simple life they had to have a future of equality with humans. “Thank you, all of you. This process is not easy and it would be further out of our reach if you had not stepped forward and offered to help. For that, you have my thanks.” Goliath stood up from the table, pushing his chair back so his wings could stretch to their full height.

Before the others could protest, saying that they were in his debt, he silenced them with a look and a flap of his wings. 

“I will not have this become a battle of debts, I am simply stating my thanks, and for accepting my Clan as it is.” He gave a small bow before he left, needing to get out of the room. 

Speaking of customs and their culture made him realize how much he had lost. They didn’t have the numbers or ability to participate in a majority of their culture. He threw himself off the balcony and glided down into the lower garden. 

There was a generation that was missing, but Avalon’s time difference meant he still had a Clan left. Though, they truly weren’t of his Clan anymore. They were their own and would continue to be such. His current Clan was little and strange by Gargoyle standards. 

Goliath was grateful for what he had, but he still mourned the loss of what had been.


	11. The Plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey~ this chapter is shorter than usual due to me not wanting to create a too long of a chapter. I dunno, felt it was better to slice and dice like this.
> 
> If you wanna give a little love please give kudos or a comment, emoji only comments are completely welcome!
> 
> I’m chugging along because tbh at this point this fic is to fufill my fantasy as to how the third season should have gone but the comic complicated things a little too far for my brain to handle :3<
> 
>   
> \--------------------------------------------------  
> (As of June 18th, this Chapter has been edited by the lovely Missyjenne)  
> \--------------------------------------------------

Xanatos’ prediction turned out to be true. He was hand-delivered the letter by Bluestone, and he in turn handed over the letter of his counteroffer. He had also sent Fox off to track down and bring in the remaining member that was still missing. They were having a hard time tracking down Dingo, but Fox had her ways. 

When Goliath and the rest awoke, the wheels had been set in motion. 

They all gathered in the main hall, food already laid out to be taken at will. To Goliath's relief, all three Clans’ members seemed to get along just fine. Even a little better than he had expected in some cases. Lexington had become quite attached to Staghart, who was insisting everyone call him Amp. 

“Fox will be back shortly, Dingo has created quite a following in Australia for himself since joining with The Matrix.” Xanatos was lounging in a chair, Alex on his knee and playing with a small wooden toy. 

Nick, Mr.Robbins, and Vinnie had also joined them. The castle felt full and alive like it had been back when it was still by the seaside. There had been feasts and festivities the likes that Goliath had yet to see in the current century. 

Angela sat beside him, an arm wrapped around his, and their wings intertwined. 

He wished Elisa could join them. Her presence would soothe him as the reality of the situation they were in started coming down on him. It put her at too much of a risk.

Everyone milled about, some sitting, some eating and sharing stories, and it filled him with warmth. It was good to see so many Gargoyles in one place. He missed the ability to get lost in the crowd. He pulled Angela closer. 

“Haven’t seen that smile in a while,” she joked, squeezing him. “It’s nice, isn’t it? It reminds me of Avalon.” He knew she had to be lonely sometimes, there simply weren’t as many siblings for her in the castle. 

“I was thinking back to old castle Wyvern,” he admitted. “I was also thinking that Elisa would enjoy this.” He added the last part in a quieter voice. 

“I’m sure she would.” She rested her head on his shoulder. “I don’t want to welcome bad luck, but I feel like something is going to happen.” He knew that feeling all too well. 

Things were going too smoothly; they didn’t know where the Quarry Men were, and they were going to stand for their rights to exist.

“We are no longer alone, we have our friends and allies. If something does go wrong, we can handle it,” he reassured her, but voicing it aloud also soothed himself. It reminded himself that he was not the sole being protecting his clan, and that he was not working alone for their future. 

Fox sauntered into the room, a very chrome and shiny Dingo followed behind her. 

“Now this looks like a party,” he made himself at home, grabbing a plate and piling it with anything and everything. “Fox caught me up on your little plan on the way here. I can help you appeal to more ‘international’ audiences if you’d like.” He winked at Goliath. 

“Nice of you to turn up now,” if he didn’t know any better it sounded like Xanatos was angry with the man. It was true, they had all been waiting for him, but it personally didn't seem like Dingo had taken that long to join them. “Now that all the planning has been done, everyone has assembled, we can begin. He handed Alex to Owen, who was sitting beside him. 

Everyone’s attention was immediately drawn to him as he stood up to address everyone. 

“In the letter I gave to Bluestone this morning, I requested the ability to have a controlled press release hosted in the building below us. The Gargoyle Task Force and any related bureaus were personally invited to join us. I also requested that the police handle which media outlets would live broadcast the event. I gave them a list of ones that I personally trusted to handle the event professionally, but also I want them to feel like they have power.” 

Goliath liked the balance that Xanatos had struck, giving them free rein with the introductions and the ability to answer questions immediately. It would put the public at ease to see the Gargoyle Task Force coming into contact with the Gargoyles and handling the situation. 

“I’ll have the leaders of each Clan sitting in the front at tables with me; I would like each of you to choose two or three members of your Clan to stand behind you. We want them to see and interact with not just the leaders, and I want them to see how different you look.” 

Goliath made eye contact with each of the leaders and nodded, he agreed with the terms. It would show a united front but also allow the humans a chance to see more of them in a controlled space. 

“After the initial questioning, that’s when I would like the rest to join us. Does everyone agree with this?” He looked around the room, checking that all were settled. “Excellent, and of course as for the people in the room, we will be the ones who will open the discussion. I would like your statements of how you met the Gargoyles, what they helped you do, and how you have interacted with them since. Mr. Hiroshi will not be making an appearance before the press.”

All eyes turned to the quiet Japanese man who shifted nervously in his spot. 

“To protect his identity and prevent any possible international fallout with Japan, we have pre-recorded his message; this is to protect not only him but the Ishimura Clan. I have no say or sway in international politics, and I do not know what the fallout will be like for you in your homeland.” The Japanese Gargoyles gave him small bows as thanks.

Goliath and Kai had discussed the possible outcomes, and Kai had seemed at ease with the possibility of his Clan’s position being outed to the rest of the country. He had a large amount of loyalty and faith placed with the humans who guarded his Clan in turn. 

“Lastly, we are to refrain from mentioning Elisa at all costs. I hope you all can understand why.” Everyone nodded in agreement. “Excellent, now all we have to do is wait until the police respond. Do as you like.” With that, he settled back into his chair. 

Goliath gathered his clan before him. “I would like to have Hudson behind me, is there anyone else who would like to?”

They all looked to Brooklyn who put his hands up, “If something were to happen, I don’t think I should be there.” He was right, it was the duty of the second to keep the Clan together in case of an emergency. He was shaping to be a fine young Gargoyle, Goliath did not regret placing him as his second. 

“I want to stay behind and record it as well, make sure that nothing funny is going on.” Lexington shifted back and forth before crouching down onto all fours. 

“I think Broadway should join us, lad.” Hudson crossed his arms over his chest. “You are well versed in how humans formally and informally act and you are well versed in your heritage; not that Angela is not, but she is still learning.” His words rang true. 

“I don’t mind joining you.” He shrugged, as he was the second in command it only seemed natural that he would join Goliath. 

“Then it’s settled, I’ll have you two at my side as my support.”

With that, they all scattered back to the others, mingling and discussing the possible outcomes. There were so many voices it was hard to follow any of the conversations happening. 

“I’m going to head outside for a little bit.” He unwound his wing from around Angela. She waved him off as he exited to the upper garden. With a quick leap and a small amount of airtime, he made it to the lower garden, the one with the fountains that he liked to sit by. 

He settled onto one of the stone benches, unbothered by the chill in the air. 

If he and Elisa were to have a future together, her job would be at risk. She would be removed from the Gargoyle Task Force and possibly her precinct. There were no laws about Gargoyles, and he wasn’t sure if she would be discriminated against because of him. 

Bluestone knew as well, but he had less of a personal stake in what was happening. 

Before he had wanted to claim that her actions were naive, that she had no clue as to what she was doing and what it meant to him. Having heard that Angela was coaching her and that he had allowed the coaching to continue, her actions were not as innocent as he had thought. 

The conversation he and Angela had in the garden also came back to him. It was true, he had never directly asked her and was working off of what she had said before Avalon. It had been too busy since then that neither of them had made a move towards the other or said anything aloud. But she was saying a lot with her body language and how she treated him. 

If they could convince the people that they were not beasts, and did, in fact, get their rights then, there would be protections for those who worked with or among Gargoyles. Or at least he hoped there would be. 

Her being aware of the actions had put him between a rock and a hard place, as she had once explained to him. He could either continue letting her do as she pleased, without mentioning that he knew what she was doing and instead of holding himself back, or they could discuss what was happening between them. 

He didn’t want to think deeper but his instincts did it for him. Demona had been such a smooth transition into, she was one of his own and a member of his clan. She had been strong and beautiful, but also a force of nature. Elisa was all of those things, but not of his own. Though, she still was. She had earned her place in the clan more than once. He adored her, he would do anything for her, and it pulled at his heart and soul. 

There was nothing that could be done to fix the situation. Goliath doubted that they would have enough time before the announcement to be able to talk, she was supposed to stay away. It meant he would be stuck unable to go through with any of his decisions and he truly didn’t know which was the best way. 

Angela gave him hope, but there was the matter of how society would view her for being with him. He wasn’t a human, he couldn’t give her the things a normal man could. She would be pulled deeper into Gargoyle culture and he didn’t want to force that on her, but in asking her as Angela suggested, it would be her choice. 

“Am I brave enough to let her decide for herself?” He muttered into his fist, his eyes tracking the water in the fountain as it burbled and flowed. 

That was the question that he was afraid to answer.

\--------------------------------------------------

The following day Bluestone arrived bright and early in the morning with a letter from Chavez. A date had been offered as well as her agreeing that his building would be the safest place for the interview to take place. 

Everything was falling into place.


	12. The Payoff

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the comments and compliments! I'm still replying to some people but just know that your comments, kudos, and bookmarks really warm my heart!
> 
> I've been a bit busy this week with work and this chapter was a bit complicated, I tried to keep the interviewing sections brief in a few cases just because I didn't want to over explain things that previous chapters are dedicated to (like Gargoyle society).
> 
> I hope you enjoy it!
> 
>   
> \--------------------------------------------------  
> (As of July 7th, this Chapter has been edited by the lovely Missyjenne)  
> \--------------------------------------------------

Elisa stood up from the desk to stretch her legs. Xanatos had called for a break during the interview now that Nick and Dingo had finished their opening statements. He had played Mr. Hiroshi’s video earlier as well. Fox had also made her statements while holding Alex on her hip. The next set that would be interviewed was Mr. Robbins and Vinnie, both were already talking to Xanatos.

It was late but she was used to it; she could see it weighing on the others though. 

Bluestone motioned for her to join him. 

“That didn’t go so bad,” she whispered, her eyes glancing out over the crowd of people that had gathered. There were quite a few members of the Pro Gargoyle Movement. “The crowd is also staying calm.”

Everyone had gathered in a room just off from the main entrance hall of the lower building below the castle in the sky. It had been the safest place they could think of to gather all the Gargoyles as well as the members of the media.

More than a few members of the force were there today, with concerns of the QuarryMen as well as the threat of possible violence against the Gargoyles, Chavez had thought it wise to call in the big guns. She had been less than pleased that everything was going how Xanatos had wanted it, but both Elisa and Bluestone had led her away from that particular thought train, instead of spinning it as less work for her to have to do. 

“Yeah, gotta say all the practice runs you guys did is sure paying off.” He was right, once again Xanatos’ plans were going exactly how he wanted them to. 

When the meeting opened, Xanatos had put together a slideshow with various pictures of the Manhattan Clan. The last week had been catching random moments in their lives, trying to humanize them in the pictures. He also had a video of them waking up, but had told them to turn down the fanfare that they usually woke up with. It was strange to see them almost silently shake off the stone shards and greet each other without the customary howling that she had grown so used to. 

“He’s a smart man. Kai, Goliath, and Una also were more than willing to work with him for the pictures and videos. It had been the last idea, thrown out by Lex of all people,” she gave a small laugh, remembering the lock of shock on Xanatos’ face as Lex had asked him about putting together something to break the ice about Gargoyles. 

“Hey, it works really well. It gives the public a chance to see them, without quite seeing them just yet.” He was also looking around the room, scanning. 

Morgan sauntered up, “Well, this is going quite well,” he crossed his arms and nodded at the two. “I know we were formed to help protect the public, but this is certainly helping with their public image.” Morgan had always been on the fence about whether or not to trust the Gargoyles to not cause panic or harm to the public. 

It was nice to see him leaning more towards trying to understand her friends. 

Martin had yet to say anything during the proceedings, not that she expected him to. He didn’t seem as shocked or intrigued as the other members of the force; she would have to ask Bluestone later, when they were alone, if the man knew of the Gargoyles, and if Bluestone had anything to do with it. 

“Glad we didn’t go all medieval and started hunting them down; they are almost pretty if you suspend a little disbelief,” Morgan leaned against the table, gazing at the photo that the slide show had ended at. 

It was a nice photo, simple and very human. It was the Manhattan clan all gathered around the TV watching a late night comedy show. Every member except herself had been present, even Goliath who didn’t care much for such shows. 

“I’m glad as well, I think this is a better outcome than anything else.” She didn’t want to think of what could have happened.

The rest of the Force remained in their spots, taking down notes and talking amongst themselves. Elisa could tell that none of them felt particularly hostile, instead they were taking it in stride and fulfilling their purpose of being the barrier between the Gargoyles and the public. 

Xanatos’ voice rang out from the speaker system, “We will begin once more in five minutes, if everyone would please return to their seats.”

Everyone shuffled quietly back to their positions while Mr. Robbins and Vinnie took their seats at the raised table next to Xanatos. 

“Thank you both for coming here today, I would like for you to make your public statements about how the Gargoyles have affected your life.” He motioned for them to begin. 

“Well, as you all may know, I was on the news not too long ago,” Mr. Robbins started. “I first became acquainted with the Gargoyles when I discovered a sickly Hudson.” He recapped their first meeting, how he had known that Hudson hadn’t been human but that he also didn’t want to panic the creature that he considered a friend. He knew that when Hudson was comfortable enough he would tell the truth.

After he concluded his story, Xanatos turned to the Force. “You are now free to ask questions if you would like.”

Bluestone looked to the others and nodded, “Were you not afraid?” He asked.

Mr. Robbins laughed, “Son I have been to war and back, I was not worried for my safety. When I first found him I was more confused as to why he didn’t want me to call him an ambulance, but now I understand.” He chuckled. 

Yale was the next to ask, “What tipped you off that your friend wasn’t human?”

Robbins had to think for a moment, “I have permanent vision loss, and because of that my remaining senses have heightened slightly. People smell like…. well people,” he shrugged, trying to explain it as best as possible. “Hudson on the other hand smelt like stone, concrete that had spent all day being warmed by the sun.”

“And it was due to the smell that you knew he wasn’t human?” She continued. 

“It was also in part that he didn’t let me touch him despite his injury, and how he walked around my house. Human footsteps sound different, you can tell how heavy a person is and what style of footwear they like based on how they hold themselves when they walk. Hudson clicked when he walked on my hardwood floor, and he sounded too heavy to be wearing a nice pair of high heels.”

She had to stifle her laughter and the image of the old Gargoyle slipping on a pair of cha-cha heels. 

“That indeed makes sense, how did your service dog react to him?” Elisa was taking a liking to Yale. She was their ADA support member and she would be a critical part of getting the Gargoyles their temporary rights. 

“Gilly here was at first wary of him in a way that unsettled me, but she quickly took a liking to him. She had barked quite a bit on first meeting him, which she is trained to not do so that was also another hint that not everything was as it seemed.” He reached out to pat her head. She was watching the crowd silently, sticking closely to his side. 

Elisa took her turn, “Do you think that Hudson, as you’ve named him, possesses a threat to the public?” 

“I personally do not think so. He had more than a few opportunities where he could have hurt me and did not. I might also add that once the Manhattan Clan heard that the QuarryMen were targeting me, they took me into the tower to protect me. One could say the nature of Gargoyles is to protect.” Smart man, wise man, she wanted to wrap him in a tight hug for working in their Gargoyles nature into his statement. 

Questioning continued for a little while longer, but there was nothing to gain beyond Hudson was a good friend to Mr. Robbins, and the man was solidly in the position of defending the Gargoyles and letting them roam the city freely. 

Next up for his statement was Vinnie. His was a little more complicated but still incredibly useful. 

He started with how the Trio had first approached him, causing him to crash his bike and when he reported the story to the authorities he had gotten his license revoked. “Which now I’m hopin’ to get back ‘cause they can clearly see I wasn’t lying that night.” He huffed and shook his head; it got a few chuckles out of the crowd watching. “The next time I ran into them was when I was working abroad the airship for Gen-U-Tech. That didn’t go so well either. But Goliath didn’t raise a hand against us humans, it was only his partner in crime, Demona, who ain’t a member of the clan no more.” They needed to publicly separate themselves from her, make it known that she was not a member, and that her actions had nothing to do with the Manhattan Clan. 

“Got fired from that job and then I moved on to be a security guard at Cyberbiotics. I was fired when Mr. Sevarius was kidnapped. Now, I was down and out on my luck with the Gargoyles and I wanted to get my revenge you see.” The crowd murmured uneasily, unsure of what to think of the man. 

“But I didn’t want to hurt no one, just get a little revenge. So I ordered a custom gun, a pie gun I might add. Nothing illegal about a pie gun.” Elisa let out a quiet snort; he was right, nothing illegal about a pie gun in the state of New York. 

“I was able to pie Goliath and get all my frustrations out. I got a spot on the Nightwatch interview about Gargoyles, which then caught Mr. Castaway’s attention.” This was the important part, they needed to announce indirectly that they knew who the leader of the QuarryMen was, and get the support of the Task Force in protecting them from the rogue group of so-called vigilantes that had seemingly disappeared into the night. 

“Mr. Castaway asked me to help him track down the Gargoyles. I was gonna help him out until I found out that he was gonna hurt Mr. Robbins. I’m all about getting a little bit of revenge, but not with hurting people. So I told Mr. Xanatos about what Mr. Castaway was planning. During that time I was offered another job, working as a security guard in Japan and I thought why not. It got me out of the city and it meant I could start fresh. Low and behold my new job was protecting Japanese Gargoyles.” He threw his hands up, “Guess I can’t escape em!”

A few people in the crowd laughed. Elisa also had to stifle her own, he really couldn't catch a break. 

“Thank you for your statement,” Xanatos turned to Bluestone and nodded once again. 

“You mentioned Demona is also a Gargoyle?” Bluestone started the questions, quick to help Elisa separate the Clans from the rouge Gargoyle.

“Yeah, she’s a right looker that one. She hasn’t been a part of the Clan since about that time I think. Haven’t seen her since I came back to New York.” It was true, he hadn’t been involved any of the times she had decided to pop back up. 

“Not a member of the Clan?” Elisa supplied. 

“Yeah, Gargoyles got this thing where they remove the people who broke their laws, and she broke a very important law. She doesn’t protect and she’s attacked humans before. They don’t want nothin’ to do with her.” He nailed his script, perfectly. 

“Okay, thank you for clarifying. Please, who is this Mr. Castaway you mentioned, the one who wanted revenge against the Gargoyles?” Travanti asked. 

“Well, he’s the leader of the QuarryMen, he used to go by the name Canmore.” The crowd started clamoring, voices rising in disbelief. Canmore was a name that had recently gained traction in the news due to Jason and his family’s actions. 

This is what they needed. The public needed to be united against Jon, and denounce them as mindless criminals who were acting on hate rather than logic. 

Bluestone stood up, raising his voice and hands to calm everyone down. “I will have quiet or I will remove you from this interview.” The officers Chavez had sent to support them started moving towards the crowd. A hush fell over everyone, and he turned back to Vinnie. 

“Can you confirm that the man you are talking about, Mr. Castaway, is indeed Jon Canmore, brother to Jason and Robyn Canmore?” He probed. Both Jason and Robyn had been taken into the authorities. Jason was still recovering, but his sister was in jail with no hope of bail, awaiting their trail. They would be tried for the destruction of property and the endangerment of lives, but both had already decided to plead guilty and work with the system to make everything right. 

“I don’t have it in writing, and I don’t have pictures of him, so I’ve only got my words.” Smart; she knew Xanatos had coached him, but this was impressive. To throw out tidbits that the media would grab ahold of and sensationalize while also denying direct credibility. 

“Xanatos has mentioned that the Manhattan Clan is not the only Clan we will be talking to today, but you mentioned a Japanese Clan. Could you expand on that?” Morgan asked.

“I was hired by a man who called himself Thirty-Two. I know, it’s sketchy. I’ll admit, the money he offered me to protect a Japanese temple was too tempting. I had been down and out on my luck and I thought it was my lucky break,” he shrugged, “Well the first night on the job the Gargoyles woke up. We were both surprised to see each other, and even more surprised to find out that we knew some of the same people. Now, before you ask me any more questions, No. I never met Mr.Thirty-Two, I know nothing about him. All of our conversations took place over the phone and his phone number was blocked. It’s strange and odd, but I ain’t a smart man. I was a desperate man.” The members of the Force were quickly scribbling down notes.

“I won’t talk more about the Japanese Clan, they’ll speak for themselves later. But what I will say is that they are pretty noble creatures, they’ve started teaching me about things I never knew.” He laughed and shrugged. “Any other questions for me?”

“I think you have given us more than enough to think about.” Bluestone thanked the man.

Xanatos looked out into the crowd, “We will once again take a five-minute break. After the break, I will give a short introduction as to what Gargoyles are, and then you will all have the chance to see them and ask them your own questions.” He nodded and flicked off the mic, turning to the other two. 

She was trying to read his lips when Bluestone moved over to her side. “Elisa, may I have a word?” He seemed stiff, like something that Vinnie had said made him uncomfortable. 

The other members of the Force were chatting amongst themselves, trying to figure out who Mr. Thirty-Two was, and if Jon really was the leading member of the QuarryMen no doubt. 

“Why the formality, partner?” She followed behind him. 

Once they were out of earshot of the others he turned around. “I know who Mr. Thirty-Two is. I’m only telling you because I trust you. We can talk more about it later, but it was no mistake that Vinnie was called and asked to guard Gargoyles.” He rubbed his chin, his eyes staring a thousand yards out. 

“Well, it isn’t a bad thing is it?” Elisa asked. 

“Not necessarily, no. But I can’t tell if it’s a good thing either. It means that his plans were already in place and things are going his way. He knew we would contact Vinnie.” He started muttering to himself.

“You can tell me who he is later, we need to get back for the grand reveal.” She led him back to their seats just as Xanatos walked back on stage, this time alone. 

“Thank you all for listening and waiting so patiently. You’ve all been watching the slideshow and the videos, now I will explain exactly who and what Gargoyles are.”

He began the script that he and the Clans had made together, it was as cut and dry as it could have been. Simplicity was key, they wanted it simple enough that anyone could understand but to also leave enough mystery that the Gargoyles were protected still.

Elisa knew all the information by heart at this point, the season for egg-laying and hatching had fascinated her, but it was something common in nature. There were more than a few species of animals who laid eggs and waited for them to hatch when the circumstances were right. 

She flipped through her packet which had the information printed out in it. He had even provided colored images and labels, labeling the parts of their wings and digitigrade legs. He also had the average height and weight of the Manhattan Clan, as well as names associated with their profiles. 

He really had gone all out in making this seem as official as he possibly could have. 

It made the rest of the work that much easier. 

Once he was done, “Now, do you have any questions that have been left unanswered?” He asked. 

“I think those questions would be better if asked directly to the Gargoyles themselves,” Martin spoke up. 

Xanatos nodded, “Of course, I shall bring them out then.”

First were Goliath and his pair, Broadway and Hudson. Next came Kai with Aoi and Tanaka following behind him. Bringing up the rear was Una, Leo, and Griff were by her sides. The leaders all took a seat, shifting their tails and wings to be more comfortable while their other Clan members stood behind them. 

It was quite an impressive show she had to admit, there were a few gasps from the crowd behind her. Someone started clapping. Soon the room was roaring with cheers.

“Quiet please.” He couldn’t keep the smile off his face as he tried to calm the room down. It took him about five minutes before he could speak normally. “May I introduce you to Goliath of the Manhattan Clan, Kai of the Ishimura Clan, and Una of the London Clan. Today they are here to answer your questions, as well as to ask you some in turn.” He stepped on the side of the stage.

“Good evening.” Goliath rumbled out. Both Kai and Una gave their greetings as well. “I assume you have questions, please ask freely.” He held himself like a royal, she thought.

Bluestone coughed into his fist, “Do you plan on harming the residents of New York City?” He was having a hard time keeping a straight face with the question, as he already knew the answer.

Goliath took a moment, looking to the other leaders for approval, “My kinds’ purpose is to protect, a Gargoyle without something to protect is a Gargoyle without a home or purpose,” he rumbled out, commanding all the attention in the room. “My Clan once protected Xanatos’ castle that is far above the clouds now. We once protected the people there; the castle has since moved and now we protect the people here. Demona has been mentioned before, but she is no longer one of mine. She goes against our creed.” He leaned back from the microphone. It hurt to say it publically, to renounce her and officially separate from her. 

Kai added on, “My Clan protects a city that we have always protected, as far back as our memory goes. We live and work alongside the humans there, and act as teachers and mentors to those who want to learn our way of life.” He nodded to Una.

Una took her turn to speak her piece, “My Clan is back to patrolling the streets, the last time we were actively protecting the city, Nazis were around, and sadly they still seem to be. We took a break from guarding the city to focus on our own.” It was an eloquent response but also a jab at humanity, very much like Una. 

“What exactly does your kind want?” Martin was next.

“We want to be able to live in peace, like any creature on this Earth. We want to continue as we have always done before the world was aware of who or what we are.” Kai chimed in. His Clan had the longest standing tradition of working and living alongside humans. Mr.Hiroshi’s video had played earlier, but he had been shadowed out and his voice changed. “We want nothing more than the right to live peacefully.”

Elisa leaned in to ask her question, “What are you Clans’ plans for the future?”

Goliath went first, “We intend to continue living within the castle Xanatos. We would also like to return to helping the police force protect the city, but if you would prefer for us to no longer be involved, we would simply like to descend into the city at night and partake in the city life.” He was giving them a choice and also not demanding anything extraordinary.

“My Clan will do as it always has, but we are not American and you do not know the location of my home. The only effect this interview had on my Clan is that the world knows we exist. The humans in my area have known of my kind for generations. Life for us will continue as it always has. ” Kai folded his arms and leaned back. 

“My Clan will also continue as we always have. We make money, pay our taxes, and take care of our own. We simply want the right to exist safely without fear of being shattered.” Their wants were so simple it, almost broke her heart to hear them asking for the simple right to exist. 

“It’s been proven to you in Xanatos’ paper that we have a conscience,” Goliath added on, “We are aware and we are probably the closet animals on this Earth to humans. There are differences between us, but they are mainly biological and things we cannot control. You cannot become stone during the night just as we cannot become flesh during the day.” Goliath added on. “We want to be treated with dignity and respect, and given the ability to live our lives to the fullest.” It was a good speech and she felt it warming the people around her. “The other Clans do not have this worry, they have joined my Clan today to prove that it is possible, and has been done for centuries.”

Both Una and Kai nodded.

The Gargoyles didn’t want anything outlandish, they weren’t directly asking for their rights either. They wanted the people to petition for that rather than directly challenging the American government. Instead, they were asking the people of New York to accept them as they were and to treat them fairly. 

“As this is not an official meeting, we cannot truly grant you anything or make any promises,” Bluestone glanced her way. “This was a meeting where you could all introduce yourselves and answer our questions, which we thank you for doing so. I feel that my colleagues and I need to take a moment and consider what it is you have said, as well as what has been presented in front of us.” The others nodded in agreement. 

Xanatos stepped forward, “Of course, shall we take another break? Does ten minutes sound good to you?”

Bluestone nodded.

“Thank you, I think my people also need to gather and agree on what questions we would like to ask you in turn.” Goliath stood up, flaring his wings, and she knew he did it for the drama. “We shall return to the stage in ten.”

With that, the Gargoyles filed out of the room.

Morgan spoke up first, “They aren’t asking anything outrageous.” He sounded like he had expected them to do so. 

“They simply want to be treated with dignity and respect, which aren’t all living creatures entitled to such a life? We have laws in place that protect many animals in and out of our laboratories. We have laws that protect endangered creatures as well. We have incredibly strong laws that permit the hunting of creatures during certain periods of time and how many can be hunted. I am no expert, but we have very rare creatures before us. We do not know their numbers, but there cannot be that many,” Yale added, “I think we should ask them that.”

Chung spoke up, “I agree, we need to know the numbers. We are not governmental liaisons, except for you Martin. This is something you will have to bring to the people upstairs.”

“Chavez is probably already ringing them,” Martin checked his beeper and then his phone.

“This puts us in limbo, but the point of this interview was to gradually expose the people of New York and America as a whole what Gargoyles are, and what the Gargoyles want for themselves. Which, what they want is quite simple,” said Elisa. 

“We cannot guarantee anything though, we don't have that kind of authority. We will have to conclude the meeting after the next round of questions and make an official statement. We will take this information above us and keep up correspondence.” Bluestone was keeping his head on his shoulders. 

Martin looked him in the eye and Elisa could almost read something between them, “I’ll go to the people above me, but I cannot guarantee anything. We can’t protect them from the QuarryMen directly.” She didn’t like how he said that. It was as if he knew more than he was supposed to. 

“That’s okay, we aren’t the end of the line here.” Bluestone tried to bring peace to the group. “Do we have any other questions that would put opinions to rest amongst the public?” He tried to steer the conversation. 

“We’ve talked about Demona, who the Manhattan Clan denounced. We’ve talked about what it is that they want for the future and that they mean no harm to the public. We’ve talked about quite a bit today. The next step is to pass this on to the people above us and to not cross any lines.” Martin rubbed the bridge of his nose, “We can’t get ourselves too deeply involved in this, even if we are the Gargoyle Task Force.”

“He’s right, let’s see if they have any questions for us before we close this interview.” Elisa wanted nothing more than the meeting to end so she could sneak into the tower and congratulate everyone on how well they had done. 

They shuffled back to their table and took their seats. The Gargoyles were already moving back into the room as well. 

“Excellent, now I believe it is the Gargoyles’ turn to ask questions; unless you have any more.” Xanatos watched them closely from across the room.

“No, but we welcome any questions that they may have for us.” Bluestone deserved a round of drinks after his performance today. 

“As my Clan is the one located within Manhattan, I have a few requests concerning our safety.” Goliath began, “I know you cannot guarantee anything, but if you could continue to keep the air space around the tower free of media helicopters, we would greatly appreciate that.”

Bluestone turned to everyone, covering his mic with his hand in the process, “We can at least guarantee that, Xanatos’ tower is private property after all.”

“There’s already a private air space that’s been declared around the tower,” Morgan added on. 

Bluestone lifted his hand from the microphone, “Yes, we can ensure your privacy.”

Goliath nodded his thanks, “This is less of a question and more of an invitation: if you or any of the Task Force would like to visit us or have contact with us, please, feel free to. We are more than willing to answer further questions.” He was quite the diplomat, and this gave her a free ticket to visit the tower freely. It must have been a last-minute addition by Xanatos. 

“With that, I believe this interview is over. Thank you all who attended, I hope we can continue to work together to ensure the safety of the Gargoyles as well as the public.” Xanatos dismissed everyone smoothly and cooly.

Each Clan group stood up and moved to exit the room towards the back, Goliath sent a look her way, asking her to follow him. She took a deep breath and smiled. 

It could not have gone better. The interview had given the Task Force much to consider and work with, especially with the QuarryMen.

“You know, it’s enough to make a man’s head spin,” Morgan grunted as he got out of his chair. “It’s like a fantasy come alive, but so very real.”

Yale nodded, “They seem like gentle-natured creatures, thought their appearances say otherwise.”

“Good work today, I want everyone to go home and rest. We can debrief and make our official statements to Chavez tomorrow afternoon. It isn’t procedure, but I want to give you enough time to think about what’s been said today.” Bluestone shuffled his papers together and stored them away.

“See you tomorrow,” Morgan called out, waving as he left.

The others shuffled out quickly, leaving Bluestone standing alone with Elisa. 

She let out a heavy sigh, “It went better than I could have expected,” she leaned heavily on the desk.

“You guys pulled it off wonderfully,” he kept his voice low. “Honestly, you deserve a break. We’ve got a few hours until sunrise, go see them again.” He smiled kindly at her. He understood. 

“Thanks, I’ll see you tomorrow,” she clapped a hand to his shoulder and quietly moved towards the back of the room, where she could sense he was waiting for her.


	13. The Second Step

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That last chapter was one of the hardest I’ve written in a long time. Mainly due to the sheer amount of information I was trying to convey while also not being overly boring or overstating anything. I’m sure I forgot some points or didn’t follow up on some plot points from earlier, for that I apologize!
> 
> Also, Gargoyles was very vague in what position Chavez has besides being the chief of the 23rd precinct. I am no authority on the police work in America, but Wikipedia sure was useful. So, I also apologize for any mistakes I make! Fantasy means you gotta bend some rules and I’m choosing this as another one I’m just gonna twist.
> 
> Thank you for the love! Kudos and comments are greatly appreciated <3
> 
>   
> \--------------------------------------------------  
> (As of July 7th, this Chapter has been edited by the lovely Missyjenne)  
> \--------------------------------------------------

They were quiet in the elevator ride up. He had hung back from the group, waiting for her. Goliath had pulled her into a tight hug, his face pressing into the top of her head as he took a deep breath in. He had practically carried her into the elevator, having wrapped his wings around the two of them. 

It was quiet in the great hall; she thought that everyone would have gathered there, but she heard them just outside in the garden celebrating. Everyone had been tuned in thanks to Lexington, so they knew how well everything went.

“Do you want to join them?” He asked her. 

“I’d rather be with you right now. I’ve missed you,” she leaned against him. 

They moved further into the gardens, away from the others, and he found a comfortable place to sit. She debated sitting next to him, but he helped her settle bridal style in his arms. His chest was warm and wide, a perfect place to rest her cheek. 

“You all did so well,” she curled closer to him, “All that planning really did pay off, we were also able to keep all the right secrets.” She smiled up at him. 

She felt his words before they left his mouth, “Xanatos has really helped us, he did not have to, and I know we have discussed this before but I still feel as if I owe him.”

Elisa sighed and reached for his cheek, “It’s okay to rely on people. It’s not always about asking for favors and returning them. He is your friend, and friends help each other.” If you had told her nearly two years ago that Xanatos would become a friend and confidant of her’s and Goliath’s, she would have laughed it off. 

“You are right. You are usually right when it comes to things like this.” He smiled down at her. 

She laughed, “And you best not forget it.”

Elisa closed her eyes and rested her head against him once more, savoring the moment. They hadn’t spoken about what was between them yet. She was sure there was something, but what she couldn’t do was name it. They were friends, that much she was sure. They weren’t lovers, not that she wouldn’t mind at all. They were confidants. They trusted each other, they were intimate with each other, and she knew he cared deeply about her. 

It was his choice to accept outsiders into the clan, and he had been so willing to throw her under his banner. 

She could tell he was trying to figure something out, that he was trying to put his emotions into words. Elisa would give him time and space, he was usually so well spoken that anything she added to it might muddy it for him. 

“Elisa?” He began. She hummed her response. “Please, look at me. I have something important I want to discuss with you.” She cracked an eye and jokingly glared at him before lifting her head. 

“Of course, what’s up?” She asked. 

He took a deep breath as if to steady himself,” I - I need to ask you before I go any further, how do you,” he choked around his words in a way that wasn’t familiar to her. “How do you think of me?”

She smiled, lifting her hand to cup his cheek once more, “I think of you as a friend, a confidant,” she paused, working up her guts, “but I wouldn’t mind more,” she quietly tacked on.

Goliath had been nodding along until her last whispered statement, “Are you sure?” He tightened his grip, but his words were so soft she almost didn’t hear them. “Elisa, there are things that I cannot give you. I am no man.” He pulled away to take her all in. 

“I know,” she smiled up at him, “If I wanted what a man could give me I wouldn’t be here.”

Her words seemed to travel through him. Goliath's expressions were a mixture of masked emotions and something tender that was trying to break through. 

“Goliath, I know you can’t give me a ‘family’ by most standards but you’ve given me the Clan, is that not family? Angela is not my child nor will she ever be, but I can help her grow and learn about this strange new land just as I’ve helped you. I don’t need a house, home is where you and the rest are,” she had been thinking about it for quite a while, wherever he and the others were, she was willing to follow. Her time away from them, both due to the Gargoyle Task Force and the journey Avalon had sent them on had proven that to her.

He melted and nuzzled into her neck, shifting her up further in his grip. 

“I too would like more. But, I do not know if you understand what that would mean.” His voice cracked, his voice never cracked. 

“Goliath, Big Guy,” she shifted in his arms so she could cradle his head. It was a little bit of an awkward position but she needed to see his face, “I don’t know what it would mean to you, and I don’t think you know what it would mean to me for us to be together. But, I want to try. I want to learn.”

He stood up and gently helped her stand, he gripped her shoulders tightly, and his wings twitched as if they wanted to wrap around her. 

Goliath's eyes were soft and his smile was kind, “I would also like to learn,” the smile faded slightly, “but I worry, of what this could do to you.”

“What do you mean?” She asked, puzzled and worried about what rabbit hole he had decided to throw himself down this time. “Talk to me, please.”

“You deserve your voice in the matter, but I worry about what this could do to your job and how the people would see you.” She hadn’t thought of that. Elisa had never considered that they would have had the ability to introduce the Gargoyles to the world, and that she would have been placed on the Task Force.

She didn’t pull away from him, instead, she took a step closer so she was pressed against his chest again. “To be honest, that never crossed my mind. Maybe,” she paused, trying to fit in the right words, “Maybe because it doesn’t matter to me?” 

Her mother had always said that if one hadn’t been worried about it in the first place, there was no need to worry about it later. Not that her words could be applied to everything in life, but there was a grain of wisdom to them. 

“My family would be more than accepting, they know you. Bluestone knows and he’s probably the closest thing I have to a friend besides Xanatos and his family.” She murmured, “I’m married to my work as they say.”

“But what if we were found out, and they removed you from your position? You have worked so hard for your career, please do not throw that away like it means nothing,” she pressed harder into him, in turn, he wrapped them both up in his wings and arms. He cut out the outside world and made her feel safe, secure, and loved. 

He was right and she hated it. There was no guarantee she wouldn’t be in trouble if she was found to be with him, she wasn’t ashamed of who or what he was, nor was she ashamed of her attraction to him. 

Goliath was beautiful. Striking in a way no human could ever be; even as a human he had stood out from amongst the crowd, and it had drawn her further into her attraction towards him. She couldn’t explain it, Elisa was simply drawn to him and wanted to stay by his side. 

“And, you also need to understand that there is no other for me. I’ve seen humans love and let go; we Gargoyles are not like that,” his voice was strained. “I am strange, but the Clan has accepted my separation from Demona. If we - if we were to join...” he trailed off. She understood exactly what he meant. 

It weighed heavily on her, but she was glad he had said it.

“I understand,” she swallowed and squeezed him. “I would still like to try if that’s okay with you?” Elisa didn’t want to look up.

He relaxed his grip a little and a hand came up to cup her chin. 

“I too would like to try, I am only worried,” he murmured as he guided her to look at him. 

“Being worried is okay. We can get through anything together, right?” She smiled as he leaned down. 

It was a simple kiss, she could tell he wasn’t particularly versed in them, but she didn’t mind. It was coming from him and that’s all she wanted. Her arms rose to wrap around his neck and to pull him further down so she didn’t have to be on her tiptoes. 

She broke away to take a breath and smiled, “Better than the last one,” she murmured leaning back in. 

He snorted but reciprocated her actions, a little more eager and confident.

\--------------------------------------------------

She felt lighter than she had in weeks when she walked into the office the next day. They had talked a little more, but it had been nothing of substance. To be honest she had just wanted to spend more time together.

Bluestone nodded to her but quirked his eyebrow at her.

“What? Got something on my face?” She slid into the chair next to him. 

“No, you just look like the cat that got the cream. Be careful.” He whispered the last part. He was right, she needed to school her expressions and keep her personal life under tighter wraps from then on, nothing could leak into her job. 

Once everyone had gathered and Chavez was present, they began the debrief. 

Martin had been correct in that she had watched the live broadcast and had jotted down notes, comments, and questions. She was a smart lady, but also political. 

“I would like to congratulate you all for your actions last night, you did not promise anything that we could not directly hold up ourselves while also keeping your questions direct and to the point. I think Xanatos had done quite a bit of planning, so I feel both parties got what they wanted out of it,” she twirled her pen. “Now, I do have a question. Any ideas on how we can label these creatures under our existing laws, can we do such a thing?” She looked around the room.

Elisa racked her brain, most of their laws that she was aware of were put in place to protect domestic and exotic pets within the limit of New York City. There were also the laws for hunting season and laws that protected the wildlife of the state they were in. 

“We cannot consider them pets,” Yale spoke up, “As no one owns them. They clearly have a conscience, and from the information provided to us from Xanatos and the Gargoyles themselves, they are human in many aspects.”

“But they ain’t human,” Morgan thumbed through the papers they received the night before, “But they ain’t wild animals either.”

“What laws have been put in place to protect our more intelligent animals? Like chimps, whales, and elephants? Science recognizes that those creatures have complex social lives and may even have their own languages. Can we start there?” Travanti offered.

“This is beyond our scope of understanding,” Chavez rubbed the bridge of her nose, “We have no laws on the books that really apply; I wanted to ask you all in case I had missed something, but your lines of thought are the same as mine. I think we need to bring this as is to the people upstairs.” 

Elisa and Bluestone nodded, “It’s beyond our scope, we don’t have the authority,” said Bluestone, “We aren’t in a place of power to be able to bring this before a member of the Senate or House.”

“We protect and uphold the law, we do not create them.” Yale was right. 

“As Chief of this precinct, I’ll reach out directly to the Special Operations Bureau and make an official statement and request support in what we should do. This isn’t exactly a crisis, but it is certainly unusual,” she leaned back in her seat. 

“I will also reach out to the FBI, see what counsel they have for us. This is beyond the scope of just New York, this could have national or even global impacts depending on how we handle it,” Martin checked his beeper. “I’ve been getting some information, but a majority of it is asking me to come in and speak to my supervisors and the head of my own department.”

“I think we’ve done the best we can do with the power we have,” Chung spoke up. “As the Gargoyle Task Force, we can continue doing exactly this: being the frontline between the Gargoyles and our citizens.”

The rest nodded.

“Not a half-bad job considering that they are far more civilized than I originally thought,” said Morgan. “What was his name, the big purple guy.” He shifted through his papers, “Goliath, he seemed really well-spoken. Better than some people I know.” He laughed. 

“We’ve got so much to learn about them, I’m glad Xanatos has given us access. We do need to get his permission to get a scientific team up to examine them though,” so far Yale had been the most onboard, and with her background in the Disabilities Act she was proving to be an important ally for the future fight. 

“Now, the other matter at hand,” Chavez folded her hands in front of her mouth, her elbows resting on the desk. 

“The QuarryMen,” Elisa knew they had to do something about Jon. 

Chavez nodded, “Neither Jason nor Robyn identified him as the leader of the QuarryMen, they may have been trying to protect his identity or they are personally unaware.”

Elisa saw it best to keep her lips sealed about what she knew.

“He may very well not know, both he and his sister have renounced their status as Hunters and regret having done what they did; they will still do time and pay their fines, but both have proven to be more than willing to work with us. Maybe we can break them a deal: if they give us information on their brother, we can shorten their sentences or reduce their fines?” Bluestone questioned. 

Elisa liked that idea, “We should question Jason again, as well as Robyn.” She threw that out, trying to get everyone else on board with it. 

Morgan nodded, “I was already going to pay her a visit today so I can pull her into an official interview.” 

“Elisa and I can pay Jason a visit today as well.” Bluestone nodded to her. 

“Excellent, getting their statements would help us quite a bit. We have little to go off of when it comes to the QuarryMen, Vinnie Grigori should also be brought in and questioned. His statement during the interview was interesting, to say the least.” Chavez stood up, “I’ll update the mission board we’ve put together with this new information. We need to track down Jon and bring him to justice for the attacks on the Clock Tower, as well as the damage he has done to the city. I’m not sure if we can charge him with anything in relation to the QuarryMen but we can denounce them once again to the public.” She turned to the board the group had been making over the past two months of the information they had on the Gargoyles as well as the QuarryMen. 

“While you do that, I need to get back to my superiors.” Martin stood up, carefully putting all of his papers and files into his briefcase. “Let me know if there’s any more information you uncover.” He put his hat back on and tipped it before exiting. 

“Elisa, we should go now. I believe the hospital visiting hours close at 5 and it’ll take us a bit to get there.” Bluestone also packed up his things. 

“Sounds like a plan, partner. We’ll come back with any information we’ve gathered.” She nodded to the rest following him out into the hallway. 

His car wasn’t parked too far away, along the way she finally had a chance to talk about who Mr. Thirty-Two was. 

“Are you going to tell me about the mystery man who hired Vinnie?” She knew there was no one to overhear their conversation now. 

Bluestone glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, seemingly sizing her up.

“He’s Martin. And before you ask me anything else, no I did not know he was in contact with Vinnie, no I had no clue he was aware of the Ishimura Clan. I was in the dark about everything.” He seemed frustrated, and not about what he was talking about. 

“I don’t doubt you, you would have told me otherwise.” There were few secrets between them, but she could tell he had a few that were too close to his heart to be shared just yet. 

“Martin’s planning something, what he’s got up his sleeve I don’t know. That’s what’s really got me worried.” She could see the lines of frustration smooth out around his eyes. He sighed and shrugged, unlocking his car. 

The drive to the hospital wasn’t bad, but they got there with just enough time to sign in and get up to his room to receive their warning that in an hour visitors would be asked to leave. 

“Hey Jason, how are you doing?” Elisa smiled at him and settled into one of the plastic chairs beside the bed. Bluestone took the other one. 

“Not too bad, the food has upped in quality since they finally took me off my blood thinner.” He laughed, “What can I do for you two today?”

Elisa looked to Bluestone first before saying, “Chavez knows your brother is the leader of the QuarryMen; I wasn’t the one who told her so your secret is safe with the two of us, but you’ll have to make a statement on whether or not you knew it and why you chose to say nothing. Your sister is also being interviewed by Morgan about this,” she said. 

“She was taken in before she could find him, so neither of us have been able to reach him. We knew but we were unsure, there’s no particular reason why we didn’t say anything. Personally, for me, it’s because I didn’t want to risk being wrong,” he let out a sigh. “I didn’t do the right thing and I am willing to own up to that, but with Vinnie’s statement out there’s no way to avoid it now.”

“You watched the live broadcast?” Bluestone asked. 

“I don’t have much for entertainment here besides the TV.” He shook his wrist, showing off the handcuff. “Not like I can really get anywhere on my own though.” He chuckled. His attitude towards his legs had shifted each time she had visited him, it was nice to see him coping outwardly a little bit better than before. 

“You can tell Chavez that I had my suspicions that he was the leader, but had been unsure. I’m sure my sister will say the same, and if not that’s a bridge I’ll cross when I get to it. As for information on him, has Chavez had our accounts frozen? Because if not that’s the first thing you should tell her to do when you get back.”

“I don’t know the details about that, but I will be sure to tell her. He’s using your family’s fortune to bankroll the QuarryMen?” It seemed obvious but she wanted it clearly stated.

“I would imagine so, he also has access to relatively new technology and maybe up above the clouds somewhere. We had a rather nice airship and I’m sure he’s using it as a base of operations if not his living space.” Bluestone took down notes as Jason continued, “He did have a particular hang out close to Central Park, I’m not sure exactly where, but I would start combing through there. He’s smart and charming, and no doubt is lying to the people to get them on his side. If you would like I wouldn’t mind speaking out about my injury, as well as what my family was originally.” He folded his arms over his legs as he looked out the window. “My family’s name is already stained with too much blood, I will have no more.” 

She respected him and had truly liked him. He was a fine man, but not the man for her. 

“Thank you, this information is very useful. We will be sure to note that you were incredibly cooperative with our questions, and have done us a great deal of help.” Bluestone closed his little notebook and stored it away. “If you need anything or remember anything, please remember to reach for one of us. We are on your side here.” Bluestone stood up and offered him a hand to shake. 

“Of course, I want to protect them and Elisa. Blind discrimination is something all beings should strive against.” He smiled her way and shook her hand as well.

“Please, take care. I’ll visit again later this week.” She waved goodbye and gently shut the door behind her. 

“He’s a good man,” Bluestone turned to walk down the hall. “Too bad what happened to him.”

She made a sound of agreement, “He is doing the best he can with what he’s got, that’s all any of us can do.”


	14. The Balance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey all~ Hope the weekend it kind to you
> 
> Thank you for the love as always, we are reaching almost 800 views and I really appreciate that people are interested in what I have to offer <3
> 
> If I’ve made any mistakes, please let me know!
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>   
> \--------------------------------------------------  
> (As of July 7th, this Chapter has been edited by the lovely Missyjenne)  
> \--------------------------------------------------

It was time for the other Clans to return to their lands. They had done more than enough for his own and he didn’t want to put them at further risk by keeping them any longer than necessary. 

Dingo also had work he had to attend to back in Australia, the man had been uncharacteristically quiet in his time at the castle. Goliath was sure it was because he had spent quite a bit of time talking in a low hushed voice to the Matrix that had become part of him. Whatever he was planning to do, he was sure it would be in the benefit of the Clan.

Grif smiled and clapped a hand to his shoulder, “Was good to see you again; next chance you have come visit us across the Lake,” he smiled and released Goliath. 

“I would love nothing more, you’ll have to introduce us to everyone else.” Goliath scanned the group, keeping a watchful eye on everyone. The threat of the QuarryMen weighed heavily on his mind. 

He landed on Lexington who was frantically gesturing to Amp. The two had gotten quite close in the London Clan’s time at the castle. Goliath suspected something was going on between the two of them, but had chosen instead to keep his nose out of it. Lex would come and speak to him when he was ready. 

The Ishimura Clan had left earlier, much to Mr. Hiroshi’s pleasure. The poor man spoke English but seemed to get tired quite easily, and it was hard keeping up appearances so far from home and in a foreign place. Goliath knew all too well what it felt like to be the odd one out. 

Kai had also wished them luck, and extended his offer to host Goliath’s Clan in case something happened and they needed a way out. Una had also pledged her help. It felt good to know that his Clan would be okay even if they couldn’t stay in New York. He didn’t want to leave, it would be the last very desperate attempt to save everyone, but it was always good to have something planned. Eliza had taught him so. 

“Between the two of us,” Xanatos came up from behind, “I think Lex and Amp maybe...” He trailed off and shifted Alex on his hip. The little boy had gone through quite a stage of growth and it amazed Goliath how human babies so quickly learned and grew while still remaining so fragile. 

Goliath hummed. “I assumed as much, neither had said anything aloud.” He watched Lex take Amps hand gently, saying something, and the emotions that ran across the young Gargoyles’ face was incredibly raw. 

He hadn’t said anything to the Clan about Elisa and him deciding to move forward in their relationship. He almost didn’t believe it himself, and he felt that by saying something a spell would be lifted and it would have all been a dream. 

“Amp, we have to be off soon,” Coco called from the ship. Owen was already aboard and readying for its departure. Fox had been put in charge of taking the Ishimura Clan back, and Xanatos had to make a business call later that night; he was the only one free to fly them back.

Amp pulled away from Lex, smiled and said something before entering the ship. Goliath's eyes followed him and he waved the rest off as the ship’s door shut and Owen took off. 

Lex walked quietly up to Goliath; he could hear him sniffling, but didn’t look his way just yet.

“Hey, Goliath?” He stood a little bit away as if holding himself back. His whole body spoke of sadness and loss.

Goliath looked down at the sniffling youngling, “Come on, let’s go over there and talk.” 

He took Lex over to one of the Garden benches and sat down, he patted the stone beside him. The young Gargoyle scrambled up and nestled into his side, he wrapped a wing around him. 

“Now, tell me. What’s going on between you and Amp?” He kept his voice soft and kind, he knew how hard it was to control one’s emotions when talking about something close to one’s heart. 

“Amp and I, we like each other a lot. I’m not willing to leave you guys and he isn’t willing to leave his Clan behind either.” Lex’s voice was soft.

Everything was out of rhythm within the Clan’s lifestyle compared to the others. He had found that out when he spoke alone to Una and Griff, as a twenty-year cycle was almost up and this upcoming summer equinox meant a new batch of eggs would be entering the world. 

The young Gargoyles in his Clan were not technically of age, but that was due to the long sleep. It meant that this cycle Angela wouldn’t be fertile, as the Clan was no longer held to the twenty-year cycle. Her having spent so much time on Avalon and then the six-month journey afterward meant no one knew when she would be fertile, or if she wanted to have an egg or not. He was leaving that up to the two of them to decide.

Broadway and Angela were the only ones who could add more to the Clan, and he did not want to put that pressure on them. He, Una, and Kai had spoken about the possibility of the Manhattan Clan receiving Eggs for them to adopt so that their Clan could flourish once more. 

It had not been promised upon but the talks would continue. Goliath hoped they would help his Clan, but he also knew how protective Clans were over eggs and younglings. 

Hudson and Goliath had also spoken about how raising young would happen in the Clan, if there were ever any young to raise. It would continue to be communal, but the child would be able to easily identify who their birth parents were if the child was from Brooklyn and Angela’s joining. Both were unsure what that meant for the traditional style of upbringing, but they both wanted to keep it as standard as possible. 

“It’s okay,” Goliath had few words to comfort him with, as there was little he could do to help the situation. All he could do was support Lexington in his decision, whichever it ended up being. “If you feel such a strong connection to him and want to explore it, you have my explicit permission to leave this Clan and join his. Do not let this stop you from pursuing your future.” Goliath looked down at the youngling. 

They had all gone through so much, and it would pain him to lose another member. They were already so few. But he would not be gone, only away, and he needed to remind himself of that. 

“I know, I knew you would say that but I can’t leave here. I love you guys. This castle has always been my home and I don’t want to leave it.” He burrowed in deeper, his sniffles came less and less with each breath.

This was how the others found them. 

Brooklyn wandered over, Angela not far behind and Broadway behind her. The three came up and looked sadly on their Clan brother. Goliath assumed that the others had been talking to him about Amp, and giving him the best advice they could. 

He nodded to them.

“Xanatos wanted us to find you, he’s found Coldstone,” Brooklyn announced as soon as everyone gathered. “He wants to ask your permission to try and separate the three. He thinks that he can get all three personalities into different bodies so they can live freely again.” He seemed excited at the prospect. 

“I did not know we could do that, please, let me think on it, and I want to hear about the dangers before we go forward with anything,” It sounded almost too good to be true. He missed his brother and sister, and it would take some of the burden off his shoulders to know that it was not just him and Hudson holding down everything.

“Hey Lex, come on. Let’s go get some tea,” Angela extended a hand for him to take. He took it and extracted himself from Golaith’s embrace and went with her to the kitchens. 

Goliath turned to the other two, “I wanted to tell everyone together, but I can tell them later, though I’m sure Angela already knows. Elisa and I are -” he tried to find the right word. Humans used the term ‘dating’, whereas Gargoyles used ‘mates’ to describe a couple, but nothing had been settled or said about what word to use; and he didn’t want confusion to happen between the Clan and her. “We are working on the relationship between us, she’s willing to try, as am I.” He let out a long breath. It was a long explanation but it was the best he could come up with. 

Both Brooklyn and Broadway looked at each other before turning back to him and letting out a whoop. 

“Congrats!”

“We knew that if you talked to her you’d see it!”

“See, I was right about the hair braiding!”

“Quiet, quiet please,” he tried to settle the two before him, “She is one of us, but she also is not. She doesn’t know many of our ways and customs. Please, be kind.” He didn’t want them to treat her any differently than they always had. 

“Yeah of course, she’s been learning from Angela and us for a little bit.” Brooklyn nodded.

“She’s still learning,” Broadway smiled, “She’s still Elisa though.”

“Yeah, she’s still our Clan Sister, don’t worry about that.” Brooklyn smiled.

He let out a sigh, Goliath wanted nothing more than for Elisa to be comfortable around the rest of the Clan. The Trio were usually more than willing to support and help her, and for that he was grateful. He relaxed and let out a long breath. 

“Thank you.” He wanted nothing more than for everything to continue as usual and to not put her in an odd place within the Clan.

“Don’t worry about it, we’ll help her.” Brooklyn smiled kindly.

They had always taken care of her when it came to Clan matters. They were never overly rough, and understood that she wasn’t one of them; nothing came instinctively to her. Everything had to be learned and understood. 

“Thank you,” he whispered, almost so soft he almost couldn’t hear himself. “Now, where is Xanatos? I want to speak about Coldstone with him.”

The two led him to a part of the castle he had never spent much time in, he was familiar with it but not intimately so. The basement of the tower was never really a place he had a reason to visit, as the two led him down the stairwell he recalled that the castle’s Mage had spent quite a bit of time down below.

Xanatos was standing before a wall of strange machines and screens, none of which Goliath knew the use for. 

“This is the room that Demona and I brought Coldstone back together.” He didn’t turn to face them, “and here is where I plan to right our wrong.”  
Goliath watched him carefully as he turned around. The man was always coming up with new plans and though he may trust the man, he was always skeptical when it came to science and magic mixing. 

“How do you intend to do such a thing? There are three souls within his body and all are fighting for the right to control it.” Goliath remembered running into the poor creature on the Avalon journey. He had told them to stay away, that he wasn’t ready to join society until the battle within him came to an end. 

“I’ve been talking to Owen, and please let me finish speaking before you make a comment on what I am going to say.” That meant he most likely wasn’t going to enjoy the man’s next few words. “Owen wants to teach Alex how to swap souls within a body, the catch is they have to be willing to switch,” he held up his hand to stop Goliath, “And you would have to allow us to perform magic on your friend.”

The others shuffled uncomfortably behind him, reading the air in the room and giving him some space. His tail twitched and his wings shifted and they could see the amount of anger that was coursing through him.

“My siblings are not your experiment,” he held himself back from speaking anymore.

He whipped around, his wings caping around his shoulders, and left the room before his anger could overtake him. The idea of his friends being tested on like animals for the man’s child to practice magic had been too much to bear. 

Goliath’s emotions were in turmoil. Elisa had promised that she would visit the next day. He wanted her opinion on the matter. She would be his impartial voice on. He could see what Xanatos wanted, and he understood. But did the result justify the means used?

He climbed the stairs of the tower, wanting to be alone with his thoughts. 

Much had changed in very little time, and they still didn’t know the ripples of change would go. 

He was thrilled that Elisa had accepted him and was willing to try and have a future with him. If he were to be honest with himself, he missed having a companion. He was not used to being solitary in terms of romance. 

He and Demona had always been together, long before they had been together. They had been hatchmates and his memories of childhood were filled with her and their antics. His childhood at Castle Wyvern had been typical, the wars came and went, but as a child, he had spent a majority of his time in the rookery with their many mothers and fathers.

Elisa had offered to help him before, in writing down his Clan’s history before they had been put to sleep. He also wanted to share his childhood with her, he wanted to tell her all about it. There was so much he wanted to teach her and so much that he wanted to learn about her in turn.

\--------------------------------------------------

She gently blew on her cup of tea, the steam rising from the cup. He had wrapped her in a blanket as the nights were getting colder. Soon there would be snow, and the city always looked so magnificent from above when it was dusted in white. 

Elisa smiled and patted the stone bench beside her, “Come on Big Guy, sit down. Let’s think about this together.”

He wanted nothing more than to wrap her up in an embrace and feel her heat against him. Goliath settled and wrapped his wing around her, giving her an extra layer of protection against the cold. She had insisted that they go outside for their talk.

“So, Xanatos wants to separate Coldstone.” She took a sip, watching him carefully.

“I would like nothing more than to have the three separate so they could have their own lives once again, but with magic being involved and it being an experiment, is what upsets me.” He rumbled out. 

“I can understand that, but this is pretty complicated,” she rested one of her hands on his thigh, “How else would you be able to have all three separated, if not for magic?” It was a good question. The technology of this world was worlds away from before he had been put to sleep, but it could not separate souls as far as he was aware. 

He leaned into her, “You’re right.”

“I don’t want to say it this way, but I don’t think there is another way that the three of them could be given their own bodies if not for the use of both magic and technology.” Her hand shifted from his thigh to his forearm. He enjoyed her touch and was glad that since they had agreed to try that she had become more open to being physical with him. 

“No. No, thank you. I needed to look at the problem with eyes unclouded, and you help me with that.” He leaned in and kissed the crown of her head, resting his chin gently against her. “Sometimes I need to keep my anger back, and it is hard to do that when family is involved.”

“Oh I more than understand, you remember me with my brother.” He did. She had been a force of nature and he knew better than to stand before her and her family. He was glad to see that her nature was so similar to his own. 

He chuckled, “That I do.”

They were quiet for a few moments, her tea had cooled enough that she was continually taking sips from it. He liked that they could be like this, simply existing around one another without having to fill the space with idle chatter. Not that he minded with her, anything she had to say was interesting to him.

He wondered if she understood the depth of his fascination and adoration of her. 

Gargoyles were usually single-minded when it came to their partners. 

“Elisa?”

“What’s up?” She smiled.

“Love for humans and Gargoyles is very different, or at least I think it is. I’ve seen humans in love but I have never been a human in love.” 

“I have to correct you on that,” Her eyes laughing from behind the rim of her mug. 

“What? What do you mean?”

“You don’t remember the time Demona made all humans Gargoyle and all Gargoyles human?”

He had almost forgotten that night; with the recent happenings his mind hadn’t been thinking too far back into their history together. She had been stunning as a Gargoyle, but he much preferred her human form. 

“You were once a man, and I think I saw love in your eyes.” She said.

He froze, thinking back to how he had felt about her then. His attraction to her had started early in their friendship, but that night was the first where they both had become aware of what could be between them. 

“Anyway, tell me what’s up.” She drained her cup and set it down, pulling the blanket tighter around herself.

“I just wanted to say I love you.” He kept his face buried in her hair, not wanting to see her reaction. 

“I knew that silly, I love you too.” She reached up and dragged her hands through his hair. It sent shivers down his spine. “I’ve loved you for a bit now.” She admitted. 

He didn’t know what to stay to that. He was speechless before her.

She didn’t seem to mind, taking his silence in stride. She was so stable in her thoughts and ways, he loved her for it but he knew that her skills had come at a price. Nothing could be gained unless something had been given up.

“Thank you.” He murmured into her hair, squeezing her into a hug. 

“Don’t thank me, just accept it as it is.” She shifted to kiss his cheek. “We are in this together, I’m here to help and love you.” 

Elisa said it as if she hadn’t considered the depth of her words but he knew better. She was smart and wise beyond her years. He had much to learn from her, and not just in the ways of humans.


	15. The Lovesick Fools

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Some were wondering about Coldstone and in this AU that whole episode didn’t happen, sorry I didn’t leave a message about that in the previous chapter. I didn’t like how the show handled it ngl, and I need him for plot :3<
> 
> Once again thank you for reading, if you notice anything funny please let me know! I appreciate any and all comments a kudos
> 
>   
> \--------------------------------------------------  
> (As of July 7th, this Chapter has been edited by the lovely Missyjenne)  
> \--------------------------------------------------

She tossed and turned in her bed. Her mind going in circles, keeping her up and tormenting her. Elisa needed to rest, there was work to be done the next day but she couldn’t help herself. She had too many questions and no answers, and it was getting to her. 

In the following weeks after the trial very little had changed, the higher-ups were debating behind closed doors and she hated it. She wanted nothing more than to be in the room with them and answering their questions or calling out their lies. 

The worst feeling, in her opinion, was being helpless to do anything. 

Goliath had also been tense around her the past view days. He was a deep man with many sides, and it was working against him with the pressure to find Coldstone mounting. 

He had been affectionate with her when he was able to, giving her little gifts and trinkets that he seemed to have made himself. They were usually necklaces and bracelets made from drilled stone and shell, and strung on simple thread or wire. She was sure that Fox was helping to provide him with materials and that he was doing all of the drilling with his claws. She could spot the places where he had nicked too deep or had been off center, but it added to the charm of the gifts.

Golaith said he loved her nearly every time they met and just before they parted, she really could want nothing more. 

But, she did. 

They had agreed to try at a relationship together, and to her that included the more physical side of things. She wasn’t embarrassed to admit that she liked the figure he cut, and she wanted to see even more; despite him wearing only a loincloth most days. 

She rolled to her other side. There was too much going on in the Clan’s daily life for them to have a moment alone together. 

Coldstone was still missing. Xanatos had sent out some of his robots to try and track down the poor Gargoyle, but he was proving difficult to find. There were no tracks or traces he had ever been there, it was like he had been wiped off the face of the earth. 

She didn’t want to consider it, but maybe the QuarryMen were to blame. Both she and Goliath had discussed it the last time they had met. But, it seemed unlikely. Maybe he was with Demona or Thailog, she was unsure, but there was a possibility he had taken refuge with them as neither seemed to harbor any ill will towards him. 

Winter had settled over the city and Christmas was coming. Xanatos had planned a dinner party for close friends and associates, and the Gargoyles and she were expected to attend as well. 

It would be nice to see everyone again. The Ishimura and London Clans were also invited and she could tell that Lex was excited to see his friend again. She smiled at the memory of him gushing about Amp.

She couldn’t help but feel a little jealous. Sure, she had Goliath, but the man seemed wary to do much else but touch her gently. Maybe his pace with romance was naturally slow, she wondered. Gargoyles seemed to take some time to adjust, but the Trio were quick to try and woo Angela when she had first joined them. 

Elisa gave up sleep and padded into her kitchen to make a cup of tea. 

While her teakettle warmed up she heard a clinking sound against her window wall. It had been months since she had heard that sound.

She looked over her shoulder and saw the outline of Angela; the young Gargoyle had apparently snuck out.

Elisa unlocked the window, “You know, you aren’t supposed to be here.” She raised an eyebrow, knowing that the Clan was still on lockdown and not supposed to leave the Castle as of yet. 

Angela whined, her tail slapped the ground and her wings shivered, “I know, but Fox isn’t home and the boys are horrible gossips and I needed a friend to talk to. I asked Goliath and he said I could as long as I stayed in your apartment and came back with you tomorrow night.” She flopped onto the couch, her face buried into the pillow. 

“Alright, alright, do you need a cup? I’m making some for myself right now.”

“Couldn’t sleep?” She peered over the edge of the pillow while asking. 

“Nope, can’t catch a wink. What’s up? Everything okay?” She questioned the other as she prepared another cup.

“I don’t get romance, like at all.” She burrowed her head back into the couch pillow. 

Eliza chuckled, “Broadway playing hard to catch?”

“It’s not that, I just don’t know if what I’m doing is right. He’s still trying to woo me even though I said it was enough. I’ve accepted him as my mate and the rest of the Clan knows as well. No one is attempting to fight him for my hand.” She peeked at Elisa. “I don’t know what more I can do, I was never taught these things.”

Elisa could imagine not. The Princess, the Mage, and Tom had all been excellent parents to the hatchlings, but they were no Gargoyles and had no way to know of the culture and its nuances. 

“Funnily enough, I’m having the same issue with Goliath.” Angela sat up, accepting the cup that Elisa offered her. She settled down next to the other and felt Angela’s wing wrap around her shoulders. 

“You too huh?” The whole Clan knew of them being joined, but nothing had progressed besides that. “Do Gargoyle men just take their time in these matters?” Angela blew on her cup gently. 

“Just maybe, I spent so much time trying to woo him myself thanks to your lessons,” she laughed, “that maybe the time spent courting each other feels a little different? But that’s no excuse for Broadway.”

Angela nodded, “Maybe I want to move faster than him? I just don’t know how to approach it. I want to ask but I don’t want to be embarrassed or turned down.”

“Same here sister.” Elisa laughed, leaning into the other’s shoulder. “Bunch of lovesick fools we are.”

Angela muttered, “Men suck.” 

“Indeed. I know I’m not a Gargoyle and Goliath likes me for me, but I can’t help but feel as if he doesn’t know how to take the next step, or if he is even ready to. It can be intimidating to take the dive together even when you are the same species, much less different.” Elisa commented. She had thought about it a little bit, and as far as she was aware the only other relationship he had been in was with Demona. 

“Maybe, I don’t know him well enough to make a judgment on it. I think Broadway is intimidated by me.” She quietly trailed off.

“Intimidated you say?” Elisa turned to look at her. 

“He’s not … confident. He’s always putting himself down appearance wise, but I don’t care about that. He likes me for me, you know? The other two liked me as well, but they like how I looked first rather than liking my mind first.” Elisa had remembered the Trio nearly brawling it out when it had come to Angela’s affections. 

“You know, that makes sense. He shouldn’t feel that way, but I can understand why he does. Maybe he’s scared to let you down?” Elisa let out a deep sigh.

Cagney rubbed along their legs and hopped up onto the couch to squirm between them. “Now here’s the best kind of man,” she joked. 

Angela chuckled, “Aren’t you right.” She dragged her claws gently through his fur. “Been thinking about getting one myself.”

“Oh I highly recommend it, it’s nice to have a friend even when the others are too busy.” She patted Cagney’s back, close to his tail in the way that he liked. 

“Maybe he’s scared of letting me down, not living up to some idea he thinks I have of him. He isn't the most confident Gargoyle but he is loving and kind.” She mulled over her thoughts for a moment, “You know, I think Goliath is scared too.” Angela picked up the thread of the conversation again. “I think he’s scared to hurt you.”

Elisa turned the thought over in her mind, “I had never considered that.”

Angela grew warm next to her, her whole body flushing. 

“Are you sick?” She reached a hand out to feel the other’s forehead. 

“Ah, not exactly. I think humans call it a blush?” She squirmed in her seat. 

“Oh….” Elisa trailed off with a chuckle.

“I just, I don’t know how to say this. It’s embarrassing.” She buried her face in one of her hands. “Ah, um. Well.” Elisa couldn’t help but laugh and shake her head at her companion's embarrassment. “Gargoyles are … stronger than humans.”

“Oh I am well aware of the fact, I’ve been given my fair share of crushing hugs from all of them,” she remembered back to when they hadn’t understood the differences of strength and that they needed to be more gentle with her. “We’ve already said our love out loud, the next logical step for me is… you know…but if he’s scared to hurt me because he’s too strong...” Now it was her turn to blush. 

Angela glanced at her and they both broke into giggles.

“What a hopeless lot we are,” she threw an arm around Angela’s shoulder, shifting her wing slightly. 

“Indeed, thank you for listening to me. I feel better having let it out.” Angela leaned into her. 

“Of course, you’re always welcome to share with me. We’re friends after all.” She smiled and kissed her on the cheek. “Now, how do you feel about watching some late-night TV with me? I’ve got a feeling I’m not going to sleep tonight.”

She flicked the TV on and switched through the channels before settling in to enjoy some girl time with Angela. It was nice to not be alone in her apartment, she hadn’t realized how lonely it was without the boys dropping in on occasion.

————————————————————

He was sitting in the dark at his desk when Goliath padded in. 

“Please, take a seat.” The only light in the room was a lamp in the corner. He could hear the clink of ice in the glass; Xanatos was having himself a late-night drink it seemed. 

“You wanted to speak with me?” He gently closed the door.

“I wanted to invite you to have a drink and a chat,” he swished the drink around in his cup.

“I do not usually drink, but I will have a glass with you.” Goliath settled into the chair across from him, slipping his wings and tail into a more comfortable position. 

Xanatos got up and poured him a glass, of what he could not tell, but it looked like quite the expensive bottle. He was handed the chilled glass as Xanatos settled back down into his chair. 

“Two weeks of searching and he still eludes me.” He sounded almost pleased, “I respect your brother greatly. Though, this hunt has drawn on for almost too long.” 

It was true, Coldstone was proving to be elusive to the point that there was no trace of him to be found. It was as if he had never existed in the first place. 

“So I’ve heard,” he took a sip of the drink. It burned on the way down and settled heavily in his stomach. 

“I’ve got something to say and I don’t think you are going to like it.” Xanatos watched him from over the rim of his glass.

Goliath quirked an eye-ridge at him.

“I fear the QuarryMen have him.”

He had also been entertaining the thought; he and Elisa had talked about it briefly the other day, but the QuarryMen surely would have contacted them to gloat. Jon was a man of pride, and the greatest pride Goliath could think would be capturing a Gargoyle.

Goliath took a deep breath, steadying himself, “Elisa and I spoke about this the other day. Jon is a prideful man, and one who likes to gloat.”

“He would have contacted us, but what if he’s saving up for something special?” The other man asked. 

“We don’t know. We won’t know until he lets us know.” He was feeling warmed by the drink, it had been a while since he had last had liquer. 

“He means to hurt us,” 

“If he even has him. We aren’t sure and can’t be sure until there’s more information.” Goliath turned the glass in his claws, admiring the cut crystal of it. Back at the old Castle Wyvern, a glass such as this would have been worth twice its weight in gold. “He could be with Demona, we haven’t seen much of her of late.” 

Xanatos nodded, they had also tried to track her down but she was clever. “Or even Thailog, but I don’t know how much more I can dig up; even I have limits,” he rubbed the bridge of his nose. He got up to fill his glass again, bringing the decanter over. He topped off Goliath’s glass.

He gave his thanks. “I know, and I cannot thank you enough for trying. We thought he would be lost forever, locked in battle inside himself.” He missed his siblings. He missed their wisdom and company. The small size of his Clan was making him worry about their future survival. 

Xanatos waved his hand, “In other news, how is Elisa?”

Both Fox and Xanatos had been more than accepting of their relationship; if anything it seemed like they had placed bets on the two of them. 

Goliath smiled, taking another sip, “She’s well. She’s been busy with the Force, but she’ll be visiting tomorrow and bringing Angela back. Why? Everything alright?” He was curious as to why Xanatos would pry.

Angela had asked him permission to go visit Elisa, swearing she would be safe and saying that it was urgent. The tone of her voice and how she had held her body told him that there was a time and a place to argue with the child, and that was neither. 

Xanatos raised an eyebrow at him, “No, no, everything is alright. I’m only curious; never have I seen such a couple dance around each other like their feet were on fire,” he chuckled.

Goliath didn’t know what he meant, he was going about it the right way as far as he was aware. Wooing was usually a slow affair, not something that one drew attention to until the later stages of the union. Were humans not the same? He would need to find out. 

“Xanatos, how did you and Fox meet?” He questioned the other man. 

He smiled at the memory, “Well, I met her when I had only just started being successful in business. I needed her mercenary team. She was beautiful, cunning, and everything I had ever wanted in a woman.” He hummed, sipping from his cup. “God she’s a hell of a woman.” He laughed.

“Smart, cunning, and beautiful by human standards. Also a loving mother, just as you are a caring father. How is Alex doing?” He hadn’t seen the lad around the castle the past week. It had been surprising to see Xanatos throw himself into the role of being a family man. 

Xanatos cracked a wide grin, “We’ve been sending him to a tutor during the day, so he’s been sleeping at night. He’s barely a year old and he’s progressing very well.”

“What is he being tutored in? I know very little of how humans are taught, I assume it’s much different from my education.” He knew little of how humans grew and what they learned; Gargoyle education was different in that they were taught how to fly, how to protect, and how to be one with the land. 

“He’s taking after his mother; he likes science but his focus seems to be with stars and planets.” Things that Goliath had studied a little bit about, but he preferred literature and histories. “He’s speaking more clearly each day, but because of his studies during daylight, he no longer runs around the castle at night. He misses his playmates during the day though.” Xanatos sounded wistful. 

The little boy's presence had also been missed by his Clanmates, they enjoyed playing with the boy and spending time with him. He had filled the void that hatchlings belonged in. 

“What do you teach your own kind, when they are little?” Xanatos questioned. 

Goliath took another sip, he was starting to feel the warmth of it settle into him. It was nice to relax and spend time with Xanatos without worrying about a slip of the tongue. “Well, for the first few months it's the same things as humans I assume; walking, talking, and flying, though I assume that’s different,” he chuckled. 

“Indeed, we don’t toss our children off cliffs, that’s for sure,” he raised his glass to Goliath's.

“My kind didn’t learn to read. We learned simple maths. Demona was the one who taught me letters and how to write them, it was rare knowledge amongst my kind. I’m glad that everyone has had a chance to read and write in this time, Elisa has supported us the whole of it while we’ve been adapting.”

They sat in silence together for a moment, sipping their drinks and turning their thoughts over. Much had happened, but also there had been little progress since the interview. Even Elisa was in the dark about what was going on above her head, and it made her uneasy. He wanted to soothe that anxiety away, but there was precious little he could do to help her. 

“We mentioned Demona before, her business is still floating and turning a profit. She must be controlling it from behind some curtain.” Xanatos rubbed the back of his neck, “I don’t know what to do about her, she might prove to be an enemy again in the future.” 

“I do not know either, I am disappointed in her to say the least. I’m sure she saw the interview and has stayed up to date on the matter. MacBeth also had no info on her, but he is pulling away from humanity. He’s tired.” He could tell Xanatos prickled at the mention of MacBeth.

He wondered when the man would stop being jealous of the immortal. 

“He’s been locked in battle for how many centuries? I would be tired if I were him.” That comment took Goliath by surprise, his wings shifted slightly, but didn’t give away much. 

MacBeth had given up the hunt not too long ago, and the peace that came afterward had seemed like too much for him to handle. He had been a man at war with the means of his own death and he had finally given up the ghost of it. 

“I’d be more than willing to strike a truce, but I don’t know if she’s ready to give up on hating humans. Since Angela joined us she’s been quiet, and she demanded I protect our daughter,” Goliath took a sip, thinking back to that day where she had gone against Thailog. 

“Is that strange to you?” Xanatos asked him. 

“Gargoyles do not raise children in nuclear pairs like humans, it’s the Clan as a whole that raises the child. It surprised me to hear her refer to Angela as our daughter when she is not,” they had discussed this before but it seemed humans had a hard time grasping this aspect of Gargoyle life. “She’s forgotten how to be a Gargoyle.” He hated the softness in his voice but she had once been his love, there would always be a place in his heart that would remember that. 

“It’s just a little hard to wrap my head around; humans' relationships to one another begin with the relationship between parent and child usually. Even if the people raising that child are not their birth parents, there’s still the bond of kin. Well, usually.”

“Elisa mentioned before, of foster care and orphanages,” Goliath commented. 

“Yes, that is a terribly sad downside to our society being so nuclear-based. If a parent does not want the child, or cannot take care of the child, or if the state decides that they are unfit to be a parent, they are usually taken or given away. We do not usually have such widespread networks of family members who will take in another child that is not their own. Though I cannot speak as an authority on it, and I’m sure I’ve oversimplified it,” he sipped his drink. 

“Elisa said the same thing. In my culture, there is nothing more important than eggs and hatchlings. They are the future.” He could not imagine giving eggs away unless it was to tighten the bonds of a Clan to another. 

“I can assure you, many people feel the same way. It just doesn’t always work out. There are positives and negatives to every story and every situation. I am eternally grateful for my wife and my son and the life I have with them. I am a lucky man with few troubles like that.”

Goliath hummed and nodded, understanding Xanatos’ position. “I have few wants in this life besides securing a future for the members of my Clan that are yet to come.”

Xanatos must have seen the wistfulness that crossed his face, the drink was bringing down his barriers. 

“I’m a family man myself, never thought I would be. I understand how you feel.”

“Is that so?” Goliath asked. 

“I wanted an heir, in the case that I could not find immortality. You too want heirs to carry on your culture and history.” Xanatos hit the nail on the head as Elisa would say. “Alex is no longer just my heir though, I adore my son.”

Goliath took a moment, trying to find the right words. 

“Yes, I fear the numbers of my kin are too small to bring another generation successfully forth. The London and Ishimura Clans have offered to give us eggs, and hatchlings so that our numbers can increase,but I fear the castle is not large enough, and I do not want to step on your hospitality.” Goliath admitted, he had talked about the matter with Una and Kai. They had agreed to speak of it again during the Christmas party that Xanatos was planning for.

Xanatos scoffed. “Goliath, please. This is as much your home as it is mine.” He rolled his eyes and topped of Golaith’s glass once more. “I believe the castle is large enough to house the same number of Gargoyles that once lived here, I doubt you will receive that many eggs or children.”

It still shook him to his core that his once enemy was now one of his closest friends, and an open supporter of his Clan. 

“Thank you, I feel more at ease discussing the matter with the others. Gargoyle Clans in the past exchanged eggs as a sign of goodwill and Clanhood, all three of our Clans are so tightly connected at this point that they offered before I even asked.”

“Well isn’t that nice of them. I wouldn’t mind having some young ones running around, they would make excellent playmates for Alexander,” the two clinked their cups together, making a small toast to their future. 

“Too bad Elisa can’t carry an heir like Angela,” Xanatos leaned back in his chair, his eyes trained on the ceiling. “I’ve heard her talking to Fox about Alex and she certainly loves children. She’ll make an excellent foster mother for the eggs whenever you do get them though.” 

Goliath froze, he knew that they could not produce a child together, their bodies being too different and species being nothing alike, but he had never considered her being a foster mother. He felt foolish, of course she would, she was a member of the Clan. She had already declared her loyalty to them and her willingness to help in their conversations before.

The image of her, holding a faceless hatchling while smiling at him was burned into his mind at that moment. There was nothing more than he wanted than to see that exact image in life. 

He took a deep drink from the glass, feeling it burn down his throat. 

“That is the one thing I regret I cannot give her, a family of her own,” he murmured.

“Don’t be stupid,” Xanatos glared at him. “Family is family, blood or not. She is neither a fickle or shallow woman, be careful of what you assume of her.” 

Goliath fought the urge to snarl at the man, he wanted to bare his fangs. Hits tail lashed and his wings shifted. He hadn’t intended to portray that image of his mate. She was loving and kind to all, any child of the Clan would be a child of hers. She just would never be a Carrying Mother and he knew she wanted that. 

“Calm down, I mean no harm,” he took a deep breath, rolling his head across his shoulders, “Only that you should talk to her before you fill your head up with untruths. You’ve given me similar advice in the past if I recall.” He lifted his glass to Goliath as he settled back into his seat. 

“You are right, forgive me.”

“Nothing to forgive.”

They spent the rest of the night chatting about nothing in particular, simply unwinding and enjoying each other's company without worry that the other had a knife behind their back. Elisa had been right; Xanatos was a friend, and he was one that would unconditionally support his Clan and its future, and Goliath was grateful. More grateful than words would convey.


	16. The Broken Wing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there~ if you find yourself wanting to leave kudos but unable to please feel free to comment with just an emoji <3
> 
> Thank you for all the compliments, encouragement, and help. I greatly appreciate all of it and it even helps me shape the story and fill in knowledge gaps that I may have accidentally left behind.
> 
>   
> \--------------------------------------------------  
> (As of July 7th, this Chapter has been edited by the lovely Missyjenne)  
> \--------------------------------------------------

Elisa sat crossed-legged on the rug with Alexander sitting across from her. The blazing hearth created a nice little backdrop in Goliath’s opinion. She was shifting through different flashcards that the tutor had given them to help the little boy expand his vocabulary.

“What is this animal?” Elisa was following the directions to a T, using full sentences and pronouncing everything clearly. 

“It’s a zebwa,” Alex answered, his own pronunciation needing a little correction, which Elisa tended to. 

He didn’t think he could love her any more than he already did, but with each passing day she was proving him wrong. It was in the way she walked, talked, and helped people that charmed every part of his soul.

The intensity of his love scared him, made him pull away from her in fear of being unable to hold himself back. He needed to move slowly, if not for his sake but hers. He wanted nothing more than to scoop her up in his arms and carry her away and be alone. 

Lexington snapped him out of his thoughts. “Hey, you listening to me?” He seemed a little annoyed. 

Goliath shook his head, chasing away the rest of the thoughts and wishes that plagued him. “Sorry, no I wasn’t.” He gave the smaller Gargoyle an apologetic look. 

Lex huffed, “It’s okay, I understand. Getting ready for the party, I’ve got my head in the clouds too.” He and Amp had been having conversations over a device Lex had created just for the other. Seemed like their relationship was progressing nicely, though no word on who would leave which Clan. 

Goliath nodded, appreciating the understanding; “What were we talking about?”

“How to lure out the QuarryMen,” Broadway answered for him. “We’ve got to set a trap of some sort.”

Hudson made his way over, shaking his head, “Lad why on this earth would we try and trap them? Aren’t we trying to avoid the devils?”

“If we trap one or two and hand them over to the Force, maybe, just maybe, things will start to go a little faster,” Brooklyn explained for his brother. “If we capture one we may also get more information on Coldstone, we haven’t been able to find him and I doubt we will without information from them.” 

Goliath understood their line of thinking, but he didn’t like the inherent danger of it. 

“I understand what it is that you three want, and to a degree I also agree with you, but I do not like the thought of one of you being hurt in the process; or worst, shattered.” His words were heavy, but he needed them to see the risk of launching into a plan without any backup. He did appreciate that they were trying to run it by him before going off and doing it behind his back like they used to do. 

Hudson agreed with him, “It’s all bravery and fun until someone is hurt, we cannot afford to lose anyone else, lads.” 

“We know, that’s why we’ve come up with this plan and we want to get you and Xanatos on board with us,” Lex pulled out a tablet and hooked it up to the great hall’s TV. It pulled up a file with multiple points of information.

Broadway started the presentation, “The tower is still pretty blown up, but the police station below was able to quickly clean out and get back to work; we could probably get them back to the scene of the crime.”

“It’s an area that’s easy for them to access, but also one of the safest places for us to face them due to the high amount of traffic in and out of the police building even at night. It’s also one of the most open-air areas in the city right now,” Brooklyn followed his brother in explaining. 

“If we can lure them out, trap them with either some tech from Xanatos or something that Lex can design himself, then we can have an eye witness to the cause. It’s relatively low risk, but it’s still there. All of us know the airfield around the tower and can glide easily, no matter the weather or what weapons the QuarryMen have.”

The plan was making sense on plenty of levels; it was familiar territory and the scene of the original crime meant that someone like Jon would be far more interested in exacting his revenge. It was the place that he had given up his chance to kill them all after all. 

“What kind of device are we talking about?” He wasn’t exactly on board yet, but he was interested in hearing more. 

“I wanted to keep it low-tech, less likely to fail. A strong net and smoke canisters. We don’t exactly need to see in the area to navigate, the winds are easy enough to read so we won’t crash into any buildings, and I think most of us can fly blind in that area by now.” Lex did have a point, they had spent most of their time in New York living in that clock tower. He did like the low-tech aspect of it. 

He needed to hear their answer to his question before he could give them the green light to go, “What will you do if one of you is captured instead, what then?” He pierced them each with his gaze, he needed them to understand the depth of his words. “There are so few of us left, is it worth risking a life to maybe get an eyewitness?”

“Maybe we can get the Task Force to team up with us,” Xanatos offered as he walked into the room. “They also want to get their hands on members of the vigilante group, why not ask them to help us out. What can be lost in simply asking? They say no? Then we know where they stand. They say yes? Then we know they really are on our side.” His gaze slid to Elisa who wasn’t paying anyone else much attention. 

The animal deck of vocabulary cards was almost spent.

“Now that’s a good idea, smart lad,” Hudson nodded his approval. 

“I agree with Xanatos, I would like the three of you to make an official proposal to the Task Force and see what their answer is. We can use Elisa as our liaison, but you’ll have to ask her first,” he didn’t want to throw her into anything she wasn’t already willing to do, not that he doubted her wanting to help him. He just didn’t want to complicate her life even further. 

The three of them agreed to the terms, but were wise enough to not ask her right away. She was in the middle of something, and Goliath was firm in that they were to not interrupt her. 

He nodded to Xanatos, “That’s a good idea, getting the Force in on it with us. It is a common enemy between the two of us.”

“I’m very used to bringing two parties against one shared foe,” there was a twinkle in his eye. 

“Oh, that I remember,” he barked out a laugh. 

Xanatos was almost too smart for his own good sometimes; the man had schemes hidden within his schemes, rarely did he come out the loser when it came to conflicts. 

They both settled into their chairs. Elisa finished the word deck with Alexander and had picked up the boy to toss him in the air. He enjoyed watching her interact with the child, it proved to him that she was more than suited towards helping to raise the Gargoyle children that would come eventually to the Clan, either through adoption or their own eggs hatching. 

Angela came round the corner and beamed at Elisa, rushing to her side while her wings and tail fluttered with excitement. 

“One sec, let me hand him off,” she laughed and turned to Xanatos, walked towards him, and gave him back his boy. “He did a great job with the words, the hard ‘r’ is still a little difficult, but most kids can’t make that sound till they are a little older anyway,” she smiled at the little boy before Angela appeared and started dragging her away. 

He could hear their laughter echo through the hallways of the castle. 

“Someone’s got some news she desperately needs to share, now doesn’t she?” Xanatos asked his boy.

“She said it’s a secret,” he carefully formed the ‘r’ sound within the word and seemed pleased with himself. 

“Well, everyone has secrets. They are very important to protect, strong boys keep promises don’t they?” He smiled at his boy. 

The child nodded before resting his head into the crook of his father's neck, he smiled toothly at Goliath. “Hello, missed you,” he reached out a hand to the other. 

It warmed his heart to see how loving Alex was with everyone around him. He was proving to be a pleasant child, and an intelligent one at that. 

“I missed you too little one,” he offered a talon to the boy so he could wrap his fingers around it. “Xanatos, you do know he’s considered one of the Clan?”

“I knew that already. Kai was rather surprised at the number of humans your Clan possesses, and felt the need to share it with me. Fox and I don’t mind, and I’m sure Alex is thrilled that he has so many people to dote on and love him,” Xanatos glanced at him. “If anything we are pleased you see us so close to you that you call us Clan, despite our history.”

Goliath snorted, “Don’t let it get to your head.” It was a phrase that Elisa had taught him specifically to use with Xanatos. 

He laughed. 

The hair on Golaith’s neck stood on end. Something was wrong. He gently took his talon back and stood up, his tail and wings twitching as they also picked up on the unseasonably feeling.

“What’s going on?” Xanatos clutched his son closer to his chest.

“I do not know, I sense something is wrong.” 

That’s when he heard the scream, one that was all too familiar. Elisa. He needed to find her, and he needed to find her fast. His world faded to a narrow red tunnel as he set off in the direction he had heard her call from.

——————————————————————

Angela dragged her down the tunnel and into the garden, making sure to grab a blanket for her along the way. 

“We need to go where no one can hear us,” she giggled.

Elisa had an idea about what the other wanted to tell her. It had been a few days since their little party together and she figured one thing had led to another, but it was Angela’s news to share. 

She pulled Elisa onto her back and climbed to the top of the tower before setting her back down. 

“Wow, you really don’t want the others overhearing us,” Elisa shook her head, smiling at her. 

Angela shuffled her feet, “I just don’t want the other boys to hear and make fun of me and Brooklyn. It wouldn’t be fair to him since he told me to keep it a secret from them, but he didn’t mention anything about you.” She gave Elisa a beautiful smile. 

“So? How’d it go?” Elisa pulled her into a side hug so they could look out over the beautiful city below them, “Tell me what you’re comfortable telling me, and nothing more,” she wanted to make sure that was still a level of privacy between the two of them, despite their closeness. 

Angela launched into her story, “You and I talked about it the other night and how he might be scared he would let me down?” Elisa nodded, she very clearly remembered that conversation, “Well, I worked up the guts and asked him about it. I told him that we’d been pursuing each other for a bit now and the others weren’t making any moves to renounce his and my relationship.”

Elisa was proud of her, she had approached it head-on despite her fears. Angela was far braver than she would ever be, she and Goliath hadn’t talked about anything further. They hadn’t had the time nor had they made the time, even though it was an important matter that was starting to eat at her. 

There was a sound from above, one that sounded familiar and strange all at once. The shadow of a Gargoyle landed on the far side of the tower. The figure cut was similar to Angela, and Elisa knew all too well who it had to be. She moved to stand in front of the girl, her arm spread out to keep her back. 

Angela froze as well, Elisa could hear the sound of wings spreading in defense and the heavy slap of her tail. A taloned hand wrapped around her shoulder.

“Good evening,” Demona came a little closer, “Where might I find Goliath?” She had no apparent weapons on her that Elisa could see, but that didn’t mean much when it came to Demona.

“What business do you have with him?” Elisa almost took a step forward but Angela held her back. 

Demona sneered, “I do not need your permission to see him.” Her wings flared wide and there was a snarl hidden behind her words as she bared her teeth. “You are nothing to me, now tell me where he is or I will draw him out.”

Elisa could feel the rush of anger fill her, the world tilted slightly as she moved out of Angela’s grasp. She regretted having left her gun in the locker at the precinct, but she was confident in her hand to hand skills. She had fought Demona once before and came on top, but Demona had been in her human form. From experience Elisa knew the sheer difference in strength between Humans and Gargoyles. 

“Oh? Is that how you talk to members of his Clan?” Demona’s eyes widened and she snarled.

“How dare you-”

“How dare I? How dare you,” she had lost all control of her emotions and she knew this wasn’t going to end well, but she was tired of Demona popping in and out bringing trouble with her every time. Every time Goliath’s pain would be renewed, and he wouldn’t admit it but she could see it in his face. “It’s all your damn fault, you know that right? Why the QuarryMen exist, why Jason can’t walk anymore, and why they are all currently trapped here.”

Demona froze in her anger; it was still boiling behind her eyes, but Elisa could see that some of her words had struck a chord. She jabbed her finger into Demona’s chest.

“This whole mess is your damn fault to begin, and you dare show up here without an apology?” Elisa narrowed her eyes and moved closer, crowding Demona’s space. “He doesn’t even blame you, you know that?” She pitied the jaded Gargoyle, but her anger had found a foothold and she was not one to back down when she knew she was in the right. 

“I owe no one an apology,” Demona shoved her back. “Do you know what Human-kind did to me?” She shoved her again. “Do you have any idea? No! You don’t!” She roared out.

Angela reached out to try and separate the two. “Let’s -” she started, but was cut short with a quick slap from Demona’s wing. 

“Be quiet child, do not speak in matters you don’t belong to,” she turned her attention back to Elisa. 

“No, I don’t know. Suffering is suffering no matter how great or small, but do you have any idea how much damage you have done? And how hard we’ve worked to fix it?” Elisa shoved Demona’s hands away. 

“I care little in the matters of humans,” she spat out the last word, “I care even less for you.”

One quick shove was all it took, she hadn’t realized that the edge of the tower had been so close. She was falling and her gut was roiling, there was no Gargoyle body under her to swoop her up into the sky and away from gravity’s embrace.

The last thing she heard before fear took hold of her was Angela’s scream, and then suddenly there was no air left in the world.

\-------------------------------------------------- 

The world was a narrow red tunnel, he pounded his way through the hallways on all fours. His tail whipped to the side to balance him out as he took the hard corner and burst through the door. He could smell the fear and anger in the air, but he could not pinpoint them. 

Goliath rushed to the edge of the courtyard, looking over it while snarling and trying to hold himself back from the knife blade his emotions had become. There was also the faint trace of blood in the air. He knew it from the battle on the beach on Avalon, Angela’s blood. It was a scent he had never wanted to smell again. 

There, he spotted her in a crumpled pile at the base of the tower on the lowest level of the courtyard below. He threw himself off the edge and slammed into the ground beside her, his base instincts screaming at him that something had gone terribly wrong. 

She was gasping quick little breaths, her wing at an odd angle. She looked at him and started crying. He couldn’t find the words and he gingerly shifted her head to the side, he froze when he saw who was cradled in her arms. 

“I - I tried to catch her in time…” she trailed off, loosening her grip so he could take a look at her. 

The tunnel vision was closing even further as he checked her for breath. Elisa was still breathing but was out cold, and it terrified him. 

“Who?” He ground out the word from his clenched jaws, he gently supported Angela’s body while pulling her away from Elisa. He wanted nothing more than to grab her and run to a dark safe place, but Angela’s pain and the smell of her blood kept him close. 

“D-Demona, they were fighting and-” he stopped her there.

A crowd had gathered in the courtyard. His Clan had all heard the scream from their various places in the castle. Broadway was struggling to hold himself back, he kept glancing between Angela and Goliath, pleading with his eyes to be allowed to help.

“Broadway, come,” he had a rough handle on his emotions but his instincts were trying to override him. “Take Angela, her wing will heal after she rests.” He turned back to Elisa who was curled up in a ball where Angela had gently moved her. 

Broadway supported his mate as she limped away.

“Xanatos?” He didn’t turn towards the man, his eyes were trained at the top of the tower. 

“I’ll watch her and won’t move her, go.”

That was all the permission he needed, he took a running start and scaled the tower. Rage powered him till he reached the top, and it flared when he was greeted by his old mate. She had dared to stick around after what she had done, confident that he wouldn’t hurt her. 

“Eveni-” he rushed her, using his size and power to subdue her. She didn’t struggle as he wrapped a hand around her neck and the other grabbed onto where her two wings joined into a cape at the top of her chest.

“Do not move,” he snarled, seeing the fear in her eyes gave him satisfaction. 

“Or you’ll do what?” The brief moment of fear that had flashed through her eyes was replaced with a glint of satisfaction that he hated. 

“How dare you-” He began, the image of his child’s crumpled body alongside Elisa’s searing in his mind’s eye. 

“Funnily enough she said the same before I pushed her off the ledge,” she laughed, “Our daughter was foolish and saved her life I suppose? What’s one less human?”

“You will hold your tongue about my mate and the child. You have no right to speak about either,” he loosened his grip and threw her aside. 

“So, you left me for that?” She snarled her question, eyes flashing. 

“Why did you come here?!” He roared, angry at himself, angry at the world, and he wanted answers. “Give me a reason to not strike you down, please.” His voice cracked. 

Why must she continue to disappoint him, why must she continue to hurt him every chance she got, why couldn't she let the past be the past and focus on the future? These thoughts drowned out his sadness, instead his anger flared again. 

“I have news that the QuarryMen have Coldstone,” she snapped coldly. “Thought you would like to know.” 

“And that gives you the right to throw Elisa from the tower?!” He whipped to face her, his hand clenching and unclenching with his desire to enact violence.

“The bitch tempted me, practically dared me to do it,” her wings flared and spoke volumes of her own fury to him. 

He wanted to thrash her, make her take back her words and actions, but that was impossible. There was never a middle ground when it came to Demona. There never would be.

“Leave. Now.” Each word dropped like a stone and he could see her realize the depth of her mistake. He had been too soft for too long and she had forgotten her place. “Do you not remember being banished? Do you remember what the punishment for breaking banishment was? Because I do, and I gain no pleasure from it,” his anger was no longer burning hot but searingly cold. “If I see you again, there will be no second time. Now. Go.”

She schooled her expression in something between the lines of acceptance, sadness, and a nameless emotion he didn’t want to examine further. 

Demona nodded and threw herself from the building. He didn’t watch as she left, he had more pressing matters to address. 

He floated back down to the courtyard and Xanatos had kept his word. 

Elisa lay where Angela had left her. 

He gently shifted his hand under her head, supporting her neck while his other hand drifted over her arms, back, and legs. Nothing seemed out of place or battered too badly. Angela had saved her life, for that he was certain. He would thank her later, right now the more base side of himself needed to take care of Elisa. 

With even, gentle movements he cradled her close to his chest, despairing at the dead weight she had become. Usually, she would throw her arms around his neck and laugh when he picked her up like this.

Goliath nodded to Xanatos before heading back the way he came, this time taking the stairs. He took her to the great hall where the fire was still blazing in the hearth. He settled into one of the large chairs and wrapped his wings around the two of them, cutting out the light but letting in the heat. 

He gently combed a talon through her hair and along her jaw, “Elisa, it’s okay,” he murmured. She shifted slightly at his words, a groan bubbled up from her. “Come on my Elisa, you’re scaring me, you being like this scares me,” he continued to murmur sweet nothings and she came back around.

She was slow to rouse and when she did a great gasp escaped her and she flinched as if she were still falling. Elsia grasped him so tightly he was sure it would have hurt another human. 

He shushed her, “I’m right here, I’ve got you,” he cradled her close to his chest.

“Goliath, I was falling-” she gasped to catch her breath,”-where is Angela?” She tried to scramble out of his hold but he had an iron grip on her. 

“She’s with her mate right now, she’s okay.” Her first reaction was always to check on the others first but she needed to take care of herself right now. “Do you hurt anywhere?” He had checked her over but if there was internal damage only she would know.

“I think I’m okay, I don’t remember much except I heard Angela scream and then there was nothing,” she rubbed her temples, “My head hurts a little, but that could be because I panicked.”

He moved her hand away so he could kiss both of them, “I cannot heal you but I hope this helps.”

Elisa sighed and relaxed into his hold, so he loosened it slightly to give her a little more wiggle room. She wasn’t quite herself yet, but he expected that falling from such a height was not natural to humans and their bodies reacted in accordance. Her body had believed that she was going to die and done her a favor through shock; unconscious humans bounced far easier than conscious. 

He had seen his fair share of human falls, had caused a number on his own, he hated to admit. If the human bounced, the damage was still extensive but not as bad as someone who tensed just before landing. 

“What happened?” He asked gently.

“It’s my fault,” Elisa murmured, “I let my anger get the best of me and I provoked her,” she buried her face into his neck.

Goliath sighed deeply, shifting his hold so a hand came to rest at the base of her neck. He didn’t know how best to comfort her, “it’s okay, you’re okay,” it was like he was trying to convince himself as well. The image of her limp body burned into his memory in a way that he knew it would never leave. He kept murmuring the same words over and over, rocking her and holding her close. 

She pulled back and cupped his face in both of her hands as she straddled his legs.

“Hey,” she searched his eyes, worry filled hers, “I’m going to be okay, but are you?”

He kissed her gently, “I will be.”

She nodded and pressed their foreheads together. Elisa let out a deep breath and nodded against him, “How’s Angela?”

“Shattered wing, but that will heal with a day of stone sleep,” it hadn’t looked too bad of a fracture and she had survived much worse, he hated to say. 

“Okay, then we are all okay. Where is Demona?” She didn’t flinch while saying the other’s name. 

Goliath took in a deep breath, scenting her to settle himself, “I did not fight her, though I very well could have,” he had wanted her blood. “I promised her that if I saw her again and she continued to break Gargoyle and human laws that there would not be a second time,” he muttered lowly, breaking eye contact with Elisa to shut out the world instead. 

Elisa rested against his chest again, her front pressed to his and her legs straddling his woke up the other side of his baser instincts that had been growling at him as of late. He needed to pull back, breathe some fresh air that wasn’t saturated with her scent, and get his head back on his shoulders where it belonged. 

This was not the appropriate time or place. They were still courting and he still wasn’t sure if she wanted him in the way that he craved her. 

“Demona told me that the QuarryMen have Coldstone,” he felt her stiffen against him. 

He didn’t like where the future was pointing them, but they were running out of options to save their friend.


	17. The Following Through

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! Thanks for a thousand hits, I didn't think that many people would find interest in my work and I really appreciate it. Work got busy this week so I had less free time on my hands, looking forward to the weekend and getting some more chapters pounded out :3
> 
> Once again if you spot any glaring mistakes please let me know~
> 
> Also- a fanfiction writer can have a little bit of cliche, just as a treat.
> 
>   
> \--------------------------------------------------  
> (As of July 7th, this Chapter has been edited by the lovely Missyjenne)  
> \--------------------------------------------------

A fanfiction writer can have a little bit of cliche, just as a treat. 

Elisa propped her chin on her fist, “There’s no way this is going to work.”

Goliath was seated next to her, his wing wrapped protectively over her back. Since the incident with Demona he never strayed too far from her side unless he had to. It was almost charming, except having him underfoot all the time had gotten bothersome in narrow places. 

“This is the most cartoonish trap I have ever seen, did the Trio get their idea from a TV show?” She wondered aloud as the Gargoyles shifted the debris of the clock tower over their little trap. “Can you be sure one of them is going to set foot within the tower?”

“We’ve got nets for that,” she could hear him rolling his eyes. They had poured over the idea for the past week with the Gargoyle Task Force, and it was a combination of all of their best intelligence and what technology they deemed necessary. 

She still couldn’t believe it. 

Elisa leaned into his side a little further as she watched them continue to prepare the site. They needed to catch one of the QuarryMen and bring them in from questioning. Demona could have lied to Goliath about it but Elisa doubted it. She was a terribly vindictive person, but she didn’t lie when it came to Clan affairs. 

“Aren’t you cold?” She rubbed her hands together, her digits chilly even behind the thick layer of wool protection her gloves offered. 

He glanced at her, she could see him thinking. “How can I best explain, I feel the cold but I am not cold. It takes very extreme temperatures for us to be affected.” She remembered him trudging through the snow, trying to protect her from the wind when they had traveled the world thanks to Avalon. 

“That makes sense, only Hudson is really wearing clothes. The rest of you-“ she gave him a good look over, “-don’t seem to care.”

He laughed, throwing an arm around her shoulders, “You’re right, we don’t care. It’s easier to move with fewer clothes, and modesty has never been a problem with my kind.” She certainly knew that.

Broadway threw himself off the building and made his way to them. He landed softly for his size in front of the two, “All right, everything’s prepaid. Now we just gotta set the trap with some bait,” he nodded to Goliath. 

“Excellent, tell the Task Force that we are ready for them tomorrow.” Broadway nodded before dropping off into the night air once again. 

“It just seems so cold, to fly through the snow like that,” she shivered at the thought. 

“Glide,” he gently corrected her, “it certainly is for you,” he laughed.

“Well, we’ve got the rest of the night to ourselves, is there anything you want to do?” Her breath puffed out in little clouds; to be honest, she wanted to get indoors and warmed up again. Preferably in front of the hearth in the great hall.

“Let’s return home,” he gently lifted her and leaped into the night sky. 

She flinched against him and pressed her face into his neck, steadying herself as the sensation of falling brought back rather fresh and upsetting memories. 

“I’ve got you,” he murmured to her. She knew he felt bad for what had happened, he always blamed himself when it came to Demona even though it honestly had nothing to do with him. Well, it kind of had, but that was due to her own angry words that she had used to try and wound Demona. 

Either way, it was in the past and he had never let her fall too far from him. 

She took a deep breath and peeked at the city below. New York truly was beautiful, the twinkling of the Christmas lights paired nicely with the icicles that hung off of a few buildings. Elisa had always liked her city, but she much preferred its winter landscape to its summer one. 

The flight was a short one but enjoyable nonetheless. It was nice to be back indoors, Fox greeted her with a cup of tea. 

Xanatos had been busy behind the scenes working on a new clean energy project that Fox was spearheading, the two seemed to be making progress with it, but the words they were throwing around about it usually flew right over her head. Elisa wondered if that’s how Goliath felt when running into new words he had no context for. 

Owen was sitting in a large chair with Alexander on his knee. The little boy seemed to be in the middle of a story but paused to wave to them, “Hi Elisa an’ Goliath,” he gave them a gapped tooth grin. 

He was growing every day, for being a year and a half he was at the same level as some three-year-olds she had met. 

“Evening,” Owen nodded to them, “now Master Alexander, please continue where you left off.” Puck certainly had a great time with the boy. It always surprised her that below such a cool and collected visage there was the world's most famous trickster underneath. 

Goliath settled into one of the chairs that Fox had customized. She had cut a slot in the back so a tail could thread through, and the back of the chair was low enough that it could fit most wings as well. She waited until he nodded to climb into his lap and lay princess across his legs. 

Elisa cradled the cup of tea between her hands and he grabbed a book from the pile on the side table that had slowly formed in their free time. When he asked if she could read to him she found it charming. He could read all of these books on his own, but it was his way of spending time away from the others with her. She was also learning quite a bit herself from the books he had chosen. 

Today’s book covered how wings evolved in different species and had so many shapes and sizes, and yet they all served the same function. 

Goliath had a deep interest in evolution, he had explained to her that he was trying to understand where his kind came from. They had no oral histories that went back that far, it was knowledge lost to the winds of time. They had also begun writing the history of the Wyvern Clan. 

Hudson was proving to be well versed in his history despite him feeling like his memory was failing. He was old by Gargoyle standards, but he was still sharp as a tack in her opinion. 

She had finished two chapters before closing the book. He placed it back on the pile to be read another night. 

Owen had announced it was Alex’s bedtime the chapter before, so it was just the two of them sitting in front of the fire. 

It was nice, to just be. They had precious little time to exist around each other. She wished she could have more, but morning always came a little too early in her opinion, even with the long winter nights. 

“Next week is the Christmas party, are you excited?” She handed him the cup so she could free up her hands. She separated a chunk of his hair and began braiding it. 

A low rumble filled the room as he leaned into her touch. She hadn’t asked him about the pace of their relationship and if it was because he was scared to hurt her or not, she hadn’t worked up the guts to do so just yet. Or maybe he didn’t see her that way; she was a human after all and he most definitely wasn’t. 

“It will be good to see everyone again, we may also be getting additions to the Clan,” his smile was so open and kind it almost broke her heart. “If the other Clans see it fit, they may gift us with some of their eggs which will be laid on the winter equinox, this year the equinox falls before your human holiday of Christmas.”

She pulled down another section of his hair over his shoulder to braid, “That’s great! Then those eggs will hatch in ten years or so?” She remembered that detail from the interview. It seemed like such a long time to wait for a baby, but it had been the Gargoyle way of life for as long as any of them could remember it seemed. 

He nodded, his rumbling deepening an octave. 

“Well, in ten years we are going to greet the next generation,” she schooled her voice, trying to keep her pain out of it. 

The rumbling came to a halt. “Elisa, what’s wrong?” He cracked open an eye to examine her. 

“I just-“ she didn’t know how to say she was both jealous and happy all at once without sounding pathetic, “-I’m happy, it’s great news. I’m just… ten years is such a long time,” she let go of his braid and rested her head on his shoulder, running her fingers through the untied ends.

“It is, but that’s how it’s always been. For us, that is the normal amount of time it takes to welcome the next group of hatchlings. It’s different for us as we aren’t singular parents, none of us are waiting for our own child to hatch. We have no clue whose child is whose, they are simply all of ours,” his words made sense. She had been looking at the eggs with a possessive attitude, rather than a community-based mindset. 

She nodded, “That’s true. Humans wait nine months to meet their child for the first time. I’m used to the much shorter time and the idea that it's your child that you are waiting for.”

“That mindset is foreign to me,” he admitted, “I understand why humans have families the way they do, but it isn’t my kinds’ way of doing things,” the rumbling started up again. 

“Goliath?”

“Yes, my love.”

“I have a serious question to ask you,” the rumbling once again tapered off. 

“You can ask me anything, you know that,” he opened the other eye, giving her his full undivided attention. 

Her face heated up, she knew it was silly to her nervous with him, “I’m not a Gargoyle so I don’t know a lot of your culture yet, I’m still learning, but I was wondering if… if you don’t see me-“ she didn’t know how to finish the sentence. She waved her hands in the air, trying to make sense to herself, “-I’m no Gargoyle so maybe… your kind does things differently?”

He tilted his head a little, his forehead scrunching in thought as he too tried to make sense of what it was that she had just said, “What do you mean, do things differently?”

She licked her lips, nerves getting the best of her, “Dating. To me, we are going slow by my standards but I don’t want to rush you, and maybe you don’t even see me that way which is understandable-“ he cut her rambling off. She wanted to fall through the stone floor and take back everything she had just said.

To her surprise, he chuckled, “Elisa, my love, my sunlight, I’ve been thinking that I’ve been going too fast for you,” he let out a snort, “and that you too didn’t see me that way, as I am no man and cannot be,” he shook his head.

“We’re both stupid, what do you mean too fast?” He was moving at a snail’s pace in her opinion, but everyone had their own ways of working through the first stages of a relationship. 

He shifted in his seat, “I was worried that I would scare you if I pursued you like I would another Gargoyle,” she could feel him warm underneath her touch, “Gargoyles court slowly but intensely, usually with exercises of trust and strength to form a better bond between them. You don’t have wings so I cannot expect you to go about it the way that I would like to,” he admitted while shrugging.

“That makes sense,” it did, she wasn’t a Gargoyle and he was trying to be respectful of that. “To me, courting, or as most people call it these days, dating, is a little faster. Usually, you meet the person, decide if you would like to try and have something with them, and go on a few dates. Everyone’s different and sometimes the dates show that you aren’t comparable,” she had more than a few relationships that had ended after the second dinner date. 

“Dating, you say. What does one do on a date?” She hadn’t explained this part of human society to him yet. 

She hummed, thinking back to some of the dates she had gone on, “Well, as I said. It depends on the person but dates I’ve gone on in the past have been me going out to eat with my partner, going to a movie together, doing an activity together, and some people invite the other over and spend time with them,” she watched his eyes closely, hoping that he understood what she meant. 

It was interesting to see him putting the pieces of the puzzle together. 

“Oh.”

She laughed, “I’ve invited you on dates before,” she cupped his face.

“That you have, and I didn’t even know,” he looked sheepish.

“And I even braided your hair,” she leaned and pulled him down to meet her, “I guess none of that went through your thick head did it?”

Goliath gently shook his head, “No, I thought there was no way you understood what you were doing, that you could like someone like me.”

“Well, I didn’t originally know what braiding hair meant to you, but it meant something to me,” she leaned back a little so she could take him all in. “It’s something my mom used to help me with before I knew how to take care of my hair myself. It’s a person’s crown and you should be able to wear it proudly,” her mother had always been adamant about her hair and teaching her how to care for it.

Only her brother and younger sister had kept the natural curls they had all been born with, hers had straightened out to be more like her father’s with a bit more texture to it. 

“You were treating me as you would treat a loved one,” he whispered.

“Exactly, because that’s what you are,” she wanted her words to reach into him this time and take hold so that he wouldn’t forget or doubt himself again. “Some would say I’m moving fast by saying this, but I do love you. I don’t think I can love another as I do you,” they had been through too much together, and she felt like fate had tied them tightly and intertwined them to the point where one began and the other ended was hard to discern. 

He melted under her and pressed his forehead to her, “Thank you.”

“There’s nothing to thank.”

She expected the kiss but didn’t expect the level of heat behind it. It was like he was starving and hadn’t even known it. Elisa wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself up so she could shift to straddle him. 

He huffed and smiled, breaking the kiss. 

“I’m sorry, I should have discussed Gargoyle courting and human dating before, it would have saved us both some frustration and time,” he settled his hands on her hips, careful that his claws didn’t dig into her. 

“I should have spoken up sooner too, it’s okay. We learned a lot today,” she glanced at the clock. Time had left them behind and she hated it for that. 

He let out a long sigh, “That we did,” he stood up and shifted his grip so she could comfortably cling to the front of him. “It’s time for me to rest, even though I want nothing more than to be able to stay with you.”

“Time waits for no one, a wise man once said,” she squeezed him before climbing down. “I’ll see you at the clock tower, tomorrow. We’re going to get ourselves a QuarryMen.”

Their eyes met, they had to succeed. There was too much at stake if they didn’t succeed.

\--------------------------------------------------

She watched the tower from the next few buildings over. It had only just started snowing so she hadn’t caught a chill yet. 

The Trio were going through the premeditated movements of moving around the tower and being obvious about their movements. They needed the QuarryMen to notice them. The plan was to continue this charade every night until they noticed and took action. 

It was now a waiting game that they needed to play. 

Not that she minded it. It was just tiresome to play a game when the other player was unwilling to join. 

The snow kept falling and made it hard to keep an eye on the Trio as they moved about. Her mind was whirling around the conversation she and Goliath had earlier, about their differences in dating. 

It had taken a weight off her shoulders, to say the least. They had a chance to move forward with what was growing between them. She was excited, it was like they had turned a page in their book and were starting fresh on the new page. 

There was no movement on the radar beside her that she checked periodically. Xanatos had given it to them so they could keep an eye on the airspace around the tower. Each member of the Task Force was also linked to a radio system Lex had designed. He had put extra care into making sure it was encrypted so no one could overhear them.

It took four days of their nightly stakeout for the QuarryMen to arrive, and she almost didn’t believe it when she saw the blips on the radar.

“E to base, you picking it up too?” She whispered into her mic. 

“Base to E, yup we also have visuals on them,” Bluestone answered her. 

Goliath landed beside her and checked the radar as well. She knew he was worried. She knew that all he could think of was one of the Trio being harmed or worse while capturing the QuarryMen, but they needed at least one captive to get the information necessary to find Coldstone. He needed to be brought back home. 

The airship was moving quietly through the snowy night. Even with his accounts frozen, Jon had still gotten his hands on some impressive technology. No doubt he had a generous benefactor that also believed in his cause, and that chilled her. 

An impasse had been reached about giving the Gargoyles their rights, she and the rest of the Force had been locked out of the room and the discussion, and only knew that it had been shelved until a later date. The Gargoyles were still not protected under American law, but Jon had done far more than just attempt to kill the Gargoyles. 

His brother and sister’s trial had been scheduled for the following week. Both had agreed to plead guilty and assist in the hunting down of their own brother to lighten their sentences. Elisa had visited Jon the day before, updating him on what the Force was doing and how the Gargoyles were. Jason had been pleased to see her, but slightly tense. As if he was keeping a secret, one that she would find out the next time she saw him.

Elisa could see the airship as it silently appeared overhead, it’s shadow looming from above. A small vehicle dropped out of what she assumed was the cargo area and quietly made its way down to a building just behind the tower. Morgan was on that side if she remembered correctly. 

Each rooftop station was outfitted with a net system that was so simple Elisa still believed that the Trio had gotten some form of inspiration from a cartoon. 

Goliath tensed by her side as they watched the small craft make its way closer to the tower. She wanted to know why it was so quiet and where exactly they had gotten it, it would most likely lead them to whoever was bankrolling the operation. 

The craft shifted over to hover above Martin’s building. She still didn’t trust the man, something was going on between him and Bluestone and she was being left out of the loop. Bluestone hadn’t talked about his history with Martin or why he knew his alias was Mr. Thirty-Two since they had originally spoken of it. It made her nervous to be alone around Martin.

Elisa felt like there was so much in the air that she had to be ready to catch at any moment, her stress levels at work were getting to the breaking point and Chavez had threatened to put on forced leave if she didn’t find a way to keep it together.

Goliath shifted from one foot to another as the craft moved to hover above her building. They were well hidden but they were unsure what kind of sights the craft had if there were infrared or heat sensors. It also wasn’t low enough for them to cast the net and be confident it would take the QuarryMan down safely. 

They also didn’t want to give him a clear shot at the Trio in the tower. 

“Goliath”, she whispered to him, “can you bring that craft down?”

He nodded and got into a ready position. They needed to take him down hard and fast.

He hurtled through the night sky and slammed into the craft, rending his claws through the metal shell. The man screamed but couldn’t escape; there was nowhere for him to go but down. With the craft disabled she kept her eyes locked on the larger airship, wary of its retaliation. Goliath ripped the man out of his seat and set the craft spiraling down onto another rooftop, away from the people below. 

To her surprise the larger airship simply floated up and away before turning out into the bay, leaving the captured man behind. She had expected more action from Jon but maybe he was wary of the trap they had laid out for him. 

So much work and preparation had been put into their plan, so much was also being risked in order to capture one of the QuarryMen that it felt silly to be done with it so quickly and efficiently. Something always had to go wrong, but this time it seemed as if fate had been on their side. 

Either way, they still got their man. Goliath was gliding over to where Bluestone had set up his main base a few buildings over. She could see the man struggling in his grip but Goliath would not let him fall. 

It had been too easy, something had to be up with the person they captured. She packed up her station, keeping her eyes on where Goliath had disappeared from her sight. 

Their stupidly simple plan had worked and she almost couldn’t believe it. Bluestone alerted everyone to the man’s capture and ordered them all to return to the room that had been set aside for their Task Force to use. He also wanted someone to update Chavez on the situation as it was by her grace that they had been able to undertake the mission in the first place.

It didn’t take long for her to pack up her station and head into the precinct. She was greeted by Phil and Margot.

“Job well done,” he clapped a hand to her shoulder. They had no idea the real reason as to why she had been so desperate to capture a member of the QuarryMen. Information on Coldstone had been kept between her and Bluestone, and he had guaranteed her that the two of them would be the ones questioning whoever it was that they captured. 

Bluestone entered the building with the QuarryMan leading the way. Stripped of his mask he looked like any normal person from the street and it reminded her that yes these were her enemies on a Clan level, but they were also just people. People who were scared and who had been lied to. 

“Everyone, excellent job. I have sent the Gargoyles back to Xanatos’ place so we can book this guy and begin our questions,” it was time to get down to business. 

They needed answers.


	18. The Pretty Picture

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was harder to write than I thought? Please enjoy~
> 
>   
> \--------------------------------------------------  
> (As of July 7th, this Chapter has been edited by the lovely Missyjenne)  
> \--------------------------------------------------

Elisa sank into her chair and propped her feet on her desk. She was exhausted. Between the late-night stakeouts, the usual business that the Gargoyle Task Force undertook, and the stress of waiting for a verdict on whether or not Gargoyles deserved rights had taken a toll on her. 

She felt like a headless chicken. 

The Christmas party was also coming up at the end of the week and she needed to get ready for that. Now that they had a member of the QuarryMen in for questioning it took a little bit of the weight off her shoulders, but there was still so much to do. 

The buzz of the office was great background noise to take a quick nap. The others let her be, knowing better than to poke her awake and bother her. She only ever put her feet on her desk when she truly needed to rest. 

Bluestone was in a meeting with Chavez and there was little she could do until he came back. They couldn’t interrogate the man in question until they had gone through all the right channels and got him properly booked. That was the main problem though, he could be booked for being a member of the vigilante group but nothing else until he confessed to something, but they were all sure he was a recent member based on how he had been abandoned. 

Or he had been left on purpose and would give them false information. 

It all was a little too much for her. 

She had a lot of questions and precious few answers. 

Bluestone came with an offering of coffee and she thought him wise for it. She cracked an eye at him and took the mug gratefully. 

“We’ll be able to question him tomorrow,” he leaned against her desk while he took a sip. “Chavez agreed to me and you being the questioning party so we’re safe on that front.”

“I want you to tell me more about Martin and Mr. Thirty-Two,” she wasn’t beating around the bush anymore. They were partners and he needed to come clean to her. 

He froze. “I can tell you only a little bit, it’s not my place to share other people’s secrets,” she could respect him for that, but he also owed her an explanation and she felt like she had given him enough time to bring it up on his own. They were roughly a month and a half out from the interview after all.

“That’s fine, but I don’t like this. You remember how it felt when I kept the Gargoyles from you?” She blew on her coffee gently. 

“Yeah, I do. I’m sorry,” he did look genuinely apologetic. He lowered his voice and pulled a pen out of his pocket and offered it to her. 

She took it and turned it over in her hands. It was a simple design; a small rectangle with a one-eyed pyramid in the center. Elisa knew exactly what it meant. “Oh,” she handed it back, “and Martin?”

He nodded, slipping it back into his pocket, “He is a few levels above me, hence why I know it was him. I don’t know anything else though,” she believed him. 

“Well, it could be worse. What he did with Vinnie helped us out, but can you be sure it was Martin and not another member?” She didn’t understand why they would use numbers as nicknames and why Bluestone had the same as him, but maybe there were others. 

“I know it was him, I asked him myself,” he shrugged. “He said it was orders from the top down so we know we have eyes on us, I didn’t share with you because I didn’t really know how to.”

She smiled at him and chuckled, “I understand the feeling, we’ve both been here before.”

“You got that right,” he laughed, “when are you going to move into Xanatos’ tower?”

She paused for a moment. How many nights had she stayed there this past week she wondered to herself. “You’re paying rent on a place that you don’t even stay at most of the time, you always head to the castle after work anyway,” he was right. She had never really thought about moving in with them. She was sure Xanatos wouldn’t have an issue with it, but she wasn’t sure if she was ready.

Her apartment had gotten darker and darker the more time she spent at the Castle. The Gargoyles couldn’t visit her freely like before, and the warmth of their visits had faded away the more time she spent going to them instead. 

“I’ll ask Xanatos about it, to be honest, I had never thought about that,” she sipped her coffee, it had just the right amount of milk in it. 

“Sometimes we don’t see what’s in front of us,” boy was he right. “You should go get some rest, we’ve got a big day ahead of us,” he lurched off of her desk and helped her stand. 

“Yeah, I should. We’ve got more ground to cover tomorrow,” she felt like she was running an endless marathon with all the tasks laid out before them. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” she waved him off as she signed out and headed towards the Castle. 

She knew they were all waiting there for the news she would bring. The journey was all too familiar, and Xanatos had even taken to giving her a labeled parking spot in the basement of the tower. 

Everyone was gathered in the great hall. Angela and Broadway were lounging in a chair together while Lex and Brooklyn played a game with Alex. Fox was sipping a glass of wine, laughing at something Owen had said. Goliath was next to a window, staring out into the night. Xanatos was by his side and they were chatting about something. Hudson had taken his usual perch of the overstuffed chair and Bronx was curled up at his feet.

It was a pretty picture. To see them all together and at peace. She could have never guessed that this would have been how it all turned out. Though, they were nowhere near done getting settled. 

Bronx was the first to notice her. He came snuffling over, rubbing against her legs and herding her into the room. She had wanted to watch them all for a little longer but it was fine, she would have time later to do that. 

They all gave her their various greetings and Goliath pulled her into a tight hug. 

“It’s all going great you guys,” she began, “Chavez says Bluestone and I can start questioning the guy we caught tomorrow. We’ll be able to confirm or deny what Demona told us about Coldstone; that is if this guy knows anything about it.”

Exhaustion was pulling at her bones, Goliath was picking up on it but the others were busy celebrating their little victory. 

“Goliath?” She desperately wanted to lay down. He nodded, knowing exactly what she needed.

“You should get some rest,” Xanatos walked over to his wife, “you’ve been too busy again, call it a night.”

“You’ve got that right,” she laughed, “come on Big Guy.” She pulled him out of the great hall and out into the garden towards the tower. “I want some time, just you and I, and I would also very much like to take a nap.”

“Of course,” she liked it when his voice was soft and rumbly, it soothed her fraying nerves.

The Princess’ old chambers had been unanimously decided as her place to stay when she was at the Castle, thankfully it had a bed that could accommodate Goliath as well.

She fell face-first onto the bed and tried to kick off her shoes without getting up. Goliath laughed and helped her, stripping her sneakers away and setting them down gently. 

Her response was muffled into the blankets, “Thanks,” she rolled over to peek at him, “come lay down with me.”

Goliath snorted and shook his head, climbing in and laying down on his belly, his head turned to face her and his wings spread wide. One wing covered her and she was sure the other wing was dangling off the bed. She smiled at him and reached up a hand to trace the edges of his jaw and eye-ridges. 

“Rest,” he murmured, “I’ll be here when you wake.”

She nodded, knowing he was a man of his word and she really did need to rest.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------

Goliath liked how the lines of stress smoothed away as she drifted off. Once again she had been asked to do too much but she couldn’t say no, wouldn’t say no. He admired that in her, but he feared she would burn out, as she had once taught him the meaning of the phrase. Her scent also smoothed out, the spikes of anxiety that had become more common faded away the deeper she fell asleep. 

There was a pile of books next to the bed but none of them interested him much at the moment.

Tomorrow they would start to get the answers to the questions that had been burning inside them all for a while. It would put him at ease to be able to confirm or deny where Coldstone was. He wanted to bring his brother and sister home, back where they belonged. 

He was worried about the magic they would have to use, but Elisa was right. There was no other way to do it, technology just wasn’t advanced enough.

Goliath also feared that Demona was being hunted again. She was no longer of the Clan, but she was a Gargoyle and therefore a target. He also worried about the other Clans, but they all seemed to have enough numbers to protect themselves or their living places were so well hidden that they simply couldn’t be found by traditional means. 

The Christmas party was also next week, he was looking forward to it. It would be nice to have everyone under one roof again and the prospects of possibly receiving eggs from the other Clans had him at the edge of his seat, as Elisa would say.

He could imagine it, but he was scared to delve too far into his daydream. Elisa shifted in her sleep, curling onto her side to face away from him and shifting further back. She reminded him of her cat when he was particularly comfortable. He used his wing to maneuver her closer and so he could wrap his wing tighter around her. 

Their talk yesterday shed some new light as to what she thought of him and it had been surprising. She was treating him no differently than she would treat another human, and trying to cater to him being a Gargoyle whose culture was vastly different from her own. 

It warmed his heart. He figured that splitting from Demona would mean the end of his love life; there were few Gargoyles left in the world and all of them belonged to another Clan, lived in Avalon, or were too closely related to him for a relationship to be appropriate. He hadn’t planned on falling in love with her. He also certainly hadn’t planned on her falling in love with him. 

She was everything and more that he could have ever wanted in a woman, and he was forever lucky that she loved him too. Elisa had sacrificed much to help them, and if she had never met them he wondered how her life would have gone; how her brother’s life would have gone. 

There were many points where their story had crossed into the lives of others. Avalon had sent them far and wide but even before then. People like Mr. Robbins, Vinnie, and other people in New York.

Goliath laid with her until she started to stir back awake. He gently tugged his talons through her locks, watching as she shifted slightly into his touch. She murmured and turned to face him, a sleepy smile greeted him.

“Hey,” her voice was sleep rough. 

He chuckled, “Feel better?”

She stretched and he heard her bones pop and crack, “Yeah, I feel a lot better. Been so busy lately I don’t think I’m getting enough sleep.” He knew for a fact that she wasn’t. The bruises under her eyes were darker than he’d ever seen before.

“I have no doubt, a lot is resting on your shoulders right now.” She rolled onto her other side and pulled closer. He also shifted to lay on his side, offering his arms.

Elisa slotted perfectly into his embrace. 

“Thank you.”

“Elisa, I mean it when I say it, anything for you,” he cradled her closely, “you do so much for us, laying with you while you slept is nothing. If anything it was nice to just be with you.”

“What time is it?” Her voice was muffled against his chest. 

He checked the clock, “We’ve got another three hours until sunrise. Is there something you want to do?”

“Maybe…” she trailed off, “we could?” He shifted back slightly so he could see her more clearly. Her scent spiked with anxiety again, and he didn’t understand.

“Elisa,” he rumbled out, “what is the matter?”

She let out a long sigh, “All right I’m an adult I don’t have to be nervous about this,” her face seemed set in determination. “I know we talked about the differences in courting and dating, but we didn’t talk about the more physical stuff.” 

Her scent was changing and it sent a thrill through him. She wanted him in a way he thought she never would. 

“Elisa,” he started, “I…didn’t think you would be interested in me that way. When you spoke of dating and courting, that’s all I had hoped to get with you. I would never ask more of you.”

She started laughing, “We’re still stupid, the two of us,” Elisa wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, “I was scared you didn’t see me like that either.”

“Elisa, I would like nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you,” he rested his forehead against hers. He could smell the spike of happiness that ran through her. He had never picked up on her attraction to him, simply her affection, and those were two very different parts in being with someone. 

She wrapped a leg around him and his tail thumped happily on the bed beside him. 

“Did you just wag your tail?” She couldn’t keep the laughter out of her voice. 

“Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t,” he wrapped one of his wings tightly around her, it was awkward laying on his side and keeping her close. He wanted to cut out the world around them and make one where it was just the two of them alone. 

“Charming,” she smirked and bumped noses with him, “Do you want to? Because I very much want to, but if I’m moving too fast for you…”

“When we spoke yesterday, about Gargoyles and courting. How it is a slow but intense affair, and that as you don’t have wings there is much I want to do but cannot with you,” she nodded against him, “part of that is making love and I never hoped that you would want me like that...”

He hadn’t been sure what she would have been willing to give him, so he had avoided the topic all together so as not to make her anxious or afraid of him. Humans were similar to his kind in many ways, but he was not one to assume.

“That makes sense, I don’t have wings,” she smiled softly, “makes everything a little bit different.”

“But not difficult.”

“No, not difficult.”

It was a soft kiss, almost sweet. He was hungry, but he could hold it back for her sake. He didn’t want to scare her away, intimidate her now that he had her so close and open with him. He had never hoped for this, couldn’t have.

She wrapped her leg tighter around his own, her fingers tugged into the base of his neck and pulled at his hair. He tugged her closer, needing her to be one with him. There were too many layers between them. It was something he was always annoyed with modern-day humans, though humans in the past also wore far too many layers to be comfortable. He much preferred the way Gargoyles dressed, less clothing to get in the way of flight.

“Please,” she gasped against him, “help me.” He was more than glad to help, but he knew she would be angry if he ripped her clothes. 

With great care, he tried his best to not tear into her clothes, but it was frustrating to be so close and yet so far. 

“Here, let me,” she slipped her hands between his as she rolled onto her back, popping the button of her jeans and the zipper. He had been struggling with it. Her shirt was quick work, an easy tug and it was over her head. 

“I… I don’t know what to do,” he spoke bluntly, eyeing what covered her breasts. He had never seen a piece of clothing like it before. Her undergarments below were easier to understand, but he wanted to remove the top first. 

“I guess Scotland didn’t have these in your time, instead they had corsets,” she laughed, relaxed and at ease in bed with him. It soothed his own nerves, that she wasn’t afraid of him. She wasn’t unwilling. 

Elisa sat up slightly, her hands going behind her back and with a quick motion, the fabric relaxed. Gingerly, he removed it and bared her.

“I’m-” she began. He hushed her.

“You are beautiful,” he kissed her once more, taking her breath into him.

His hands gripped her waist and shifted his hands up her belly and over her breasts. She was soft in all the places he enjoyed, a woman’s body against his own was something he hadn’t felt for many a century. 

He could feel her heartbeat under his palms. Her breath was fast and she was beautiful in her liveliness. 

“Gods, Elisa,” he murmured. Her skin was so soft against his, warmer than his own as well. It felt like she was burning under his hands. 

“My turn,” her lips moved from his to his neck and down towards his chest with her hands. It sent shivers down his spine. 

Her hands reached his belt and with a tug he was naked.

He rumbled, pleased to have nothing separating the two of them. He pulled her closer. Her hands shifted to his back and she trailed up the lines of his muscles to where his wings joined. He grunted and shifted so he was hovering over her slightly so his wings could flare-up.

“Hmm, seems you like this,” her nails traced over the skin there lightly while she kissed his chin. 

Goliath growled and pushed her down into the bed, her legs wrapped out his hips and he liked the feel of that quite a bit. It gave his wings the much-needed space to shiver and shift.

“Wings,” he growled, “are incredibly sensitive,” he boxed her in, his elbows digging into the mattress. 

She smiled up at him, her hair spread over the pillow framing her face. Her hands moved from his wings to his hair.

“Oh? Sensitive you say?” He could hear the teasing tone in her voice. 

“Very,” he dipped down to take her lips again, “Elisa…”

She pulled back, “What’s up?”

“I-“ he took a deep breath, “I am afraid to hurt you, my talons…” he trailed off.

She shifted her hips and pulled herself closer to him, “Don’t worry, I can get myself ready.” He liked the laughter behind her words, how at ease she was around him. Her scent was nothing but warmth and peace, a little bit of excitement tinged the edges.

Her voice sent heat down his nerves. He watched one of her hands trail down from his neck down her belly and beyond where he couldn’t quite see but could feel. She let out a long breath and he couldn’t help himself. He needed to taste her again. 

The heat was creeping into the kisses and she seemed pleased, pushing against him harder. She gasped and pulled away, he growled and pushed his face into her neck, mouthing her pulse. His tail thumped against the bed and he kept his talons tucked away by digging them into the mattress. 

Hungry, he was so hungry for her and she was so close and willing. 

“Goliath?” She gasped his name and he committed the sound to memory. “Are you okay?” Her free hand wrapped around the back of his neck, digging into his hair and tugging. 

He snarled into her neck, keeping himself from pressing his teeth into her the way he wanted to. Her scent was thickening in the air and the sounds of her preparing herself for him were almost too much to bear. 

“Goliath?” He had to come back to his senses; he wanted to devour her, but she was no Gargoyle. He could not do such a thing to her. A night’s worth of sleep would not heal the damage. 

He murmured, pulling away from her skin, “I’m sorry, I just-“ She shushed him. 

“I’m more than ready, but are you?” Her voice was soft in his ear, she kissed him gently and pulled her fingers gently through his hair. “You seemed lost there.”

He pulled back so he could take her in, the side of her neck was pinking from his attentions. “I’m sorry,” he murmured, “it’s been so long and you’re…” he couldn’t give her a label that would make sense. 

“Hey, it’s okay,” she cupped his cheek, “are you ready?”

His wings shivered before curling tightly around the two of them, “Elisa..” he ground out, “I need you.”

His teeth snapped loudly together when her grip shifted to him. 

A rush of possessiveness rushed over him as she guided him into her depths. She was warm and heady, it was enough that he felt intoxicated. His talons sunk deeper into the mattress. The fabric ripped and she gasped, his jaw clenched and it took every ounce of his self-control to not devour her whole. 

“God!” She gasped, both of her arms wrapped tightly around the back of his neck.

He was scared to move, scared of what he wanted to do to her. 

“Elisa,” his voice was hoarse.

“Yes?” She gasped out as he slipped the rest of the way in, her chest was heaving as she gasped for breath. 

“I may… lose control,” she tugged his hair to bring his face closer to hers. The air was thick with her smell and it was becoming too much for him to stand against. 

“Please do,” she crooned to him. It was all the permission he needed, and he had needed it desperately.

With each thrust he lost himself in her, his feral need to have her, to be the only one to have her, exploded. His nerves roared to life as he pressed his nose into the cleft of her neck. Each huff brought her scent deeper into his being.

The bed creaked as his pace increased, her tiny gasps and cries also grew to deeper moans that fanned the flames in his gut. The sounds of fabric tearing were lost to him, his world had narrowed down to just her, between his talons and wings, the bedding below them was getting torn up. 

He wanted to sink his teeth into her neck.

Her thighs tightened around his waist, “Goliath, please,” she gasped.

He growled, he wanted to keep her like this forever, to never end and to just be kept in pleasure. To be separated from the future and all its trials and tribulations.

Elisa’s gasps were getting louder, more intense, and it burned through his blood. It was almost 0too much but he would hold out for her. He pulled back so he could see her, take her all in. The edges of his vision were blurring out but it didn’t matter, she was all he needed to see.

She cracked open an eye, sweat curling the hair at her temples. Her smile broke his control and he snapped into her one final time, roaring his completion and his whole body tensing. 

He knew that she was not finished, not from the way she writhed against him. One of her hands shifted from around his neck to back below and he could feel her moving, grinding against herself and when her completion rippled through her it nearly ripped another round out of him. He used the last of his strength to push himself to the side, slipping out of her and already missing the touch of her. 

Goliath pried his other hand out of the bedding and traced her lips and jaw, trailing down her throat and over her still heaving chest.

She shifted to lay on her side, “Hey,” her voice was breathy.

He smiled, “Please, get some rest. I’ll see myself out by the time the sun rises.” He didn’t want to leave the bed, didn’t want to tuck her in and go join the rest. Time would not stand still for any man or Gargoyle.


	19. The Future Plans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the views and comments, really warms my heart!
> 
> I’ve got quite a bit planned and now it’s time we start to dig into the plot of it :3< and don’t worry, Golaith and Elisa aren’t done just yet dancing around each other
> 
> As always please let me know if I make a mistake or swap around characters as I’m know to accidentally do ;3 feel free to leave an emoji instead of a comment if you run out of kudos to give~
> 
>   
> \--------------------------------------------------  
> (As of July 9th, this Chapter has been edited by the lovely Missyjenne)  
> \--------------------------------------------------

“What, got something on my face?” It had been the third time in the hour that she had caught Bluestone staring. She and Goliath had checked to make sure no marks had been left behind where anyone could easily see them, so she was confused at how intensely he was watching her. 

Bluestone startled, “No, no. Nothing on your face,” he shook his head, “You just seem like the cat that got the cream today.”

She flushed at his wording. Elisa covered her smile with her cup of coffee.

Chavez opened the door into the meeting room that had taken up, “All right, he’s ready to be questioned.”

The two nodded and stood up, it was time to get the ball rolling. 

Bluestone opened the door for her and she was greeted by the man they had captured the night before. He looked young. His file named him Alex Nelson, aged 22, and a native to New York. She flipped through his background check as she took her seat. 

“Hello Alex, I am Detective Maza and this is my partner Bluestone. You are familiar with why you were taken in?” She set the file down and began to spread out some of the papers so he could see them. Bluestone remained standing beside her.

Alex shifted in his seat, his handcuffs clinking together. “I know why I’m here and ain’t tellin’ you anything,” he sneered, “I want a lawyer.”

They had been expecting that; someone was already lined up to represent him pro-bono. 

Eliza nodded, “Are you invoking your rights to a lawyer?” She needed him to say it the right way for it to be taken seriously on the books.

“Yeah, that. I’m invoking my rights to a lawyer.” He narrowed his eyes at her. 

“Bluestone, please allow Mrs. Johnson in, Mr. Nelson has a right to his lawyer,” Bluestone allowed the woman in. She was dressed nicely, simple and elegant, and already had a notebook out.

“Here, you have your lawyer. Any questions we ask you, you may get counsel from her in how you should answer. Our only request is that you tell the truth,” she pinned him with her gaze. 

The lawyer leaned over, whispered something in his ear, and nodded to the other two. 

“Now, please tell us how you became involved with the QuarryMen,” Bluestone took his seat, clicking his pen and readying his notebook. 

Alex glanced over at his lawyer but chose to speak for himself, “I saw a video online, thought why not.”

“Do you understand that the group has been condoned by the New York Police and that the process for granting Gargoyles rights is underway?” She wanted to know why such a young man would join a hate group.

“Why would the N.Y.P.D. protect monsters?” He crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. 

“I believe I need to speak to Alex, privately, before we continue with this questioning,” the lawyer had the right idea. 

Bluestone met her gaze and nodded as he said, “That’s understandable, the question he just asked will be struck from the record and you have ten minutes for counsel,” she gathered her papers.

“That boy is a fool,” Bluestone whispered to her as he leaned against the wall next to the vending machine. 

“He’s young, and doesn’t realize the position he is in,” she put a few quarters in so she could get a water bottle. “We’ve all had interrogations where the one’s being questioned just didn’t get what was going on and what was at stake. His lawyer will straighten him, she’s doing this pro-bono, but I’ve worked with her before.”

Her prediction was correct, the next time they walked into the room he was silent and had his eyes down. Mrs.Johnson nodded to them, “Thank you, I believe he understands what you need from him,” she shook her head. “We plead guilty of association with the QuarryMen, but he was unwitting in what they were planning.”

“Is that why they left you behind?” She took her seat once more. 

“Yeah, I was doubting the cause and how we were going about it, I didn’t like the idea that Jon wanted us to hurt people who were working with the monsters,” he swallowed noisily. “He even said it himself during his speech to us, that we were good people in a world that didn’t make sense.”

“That’s understandable, not many believe in the Gargoyles, and those that do see them as monsters. Have you seen the rallies outside the precinct building, here?” Bluestone asked. 

“I did but I couldn’t believe that the monsters helped those people,” his shoulders folded in as he hunched over in his chair. 

“Why do you call them monsters?” Elisa was curious if this was his mindset or one that had been learned through the other members of the QuarryMen. 

“Look at them, have you seen how they look? The one that Jon captured is even worse, he’s a mixture of robot pieces and concrete pieces,” he shuddered. 

Elisa froze, this was exactly what they wanted to hear. He had given it to them freely and without them having to reveal their hand just yet.

“You mention a captured Gargoyle?” Bluestone prodded him further. 

“If you can call it that, it’s more machine than a beast,” the lawyer held up her hand. 

“Before we continue to give more information, we would like to strike a deal.” She was a smart lady after all. 

“What do you propose?” Elisa leaned on the desk.

“He will give you more information about the captured Gargoyle as well as the known locations of the QuarryMen, and in return, he gets off with a fine and a slap on the wrist rather than jail time. He was a member of the group yes, but low ranking and not important to them.” Her bargain didn’t sound like such a bad deal, Elisa didn’t want to see him locked away. He as young and dumb and hadn’t hurt anyone.

“Let me first talk with my boss on whether she agrees with the terms,” she knew Chavez wouldn’t say no, but it was still a matter of legal red tape she needed to navigate. “Bluestone, will you please page Chavez that we would like to see her in interrogation room 1B.”

He fired off the message on his pager and turned back to her, “Done, she should respond quickly. She knows we are in the middle of an interrogation now.”

She nodded. This was going well. They would get the information they needed, and the boy would get off without jail time. There was no better outcome in her opinion. 

Chavez was quick to arrive, she listened to Mrs. Johnson’s request and gave it her approval. She stayed behind to listen in on the rest.

“Last I knew, the QuarryMen had a monster in Scotland, not too far away from Kirkwall. He’s got a building there that acts as the main base. I spent most of my time in Cork, Ireland. There weren’t many of us there but we had to leave the continent after Jon’s bank account was frozen.” That was more than enough information but she wasn't going to stop him from handing more to her. “There are no QuarryMen in New York as far as I’m aware, just people who are informants.”

“Informants?” That piqued her interest.

He shrugged, “They are the people who were too scared to join, but also fear the monsters.”

They would have to investigate that further or hand it off to a department more skilled in such work.

“Well, thank you. You’ll be returned to the holding cell and I will personally handle your paperwork,” Chavez pushed away from the wall. “Maza, Bluestone, both of you with me.” She led them back to her office. “Excellent work, we know where they are, but there is little we can do. They are not on American soil, much less New York’s.” Elisa knew that to be true, but Chavez had no clue about what Coldstone meant to her and Bluestone. 

“Yeah, we understand. You’ll take this to the higher-ups? Any news on if the idea for Gargoyle rights has been taken back into consideration?” Bluestone asked her. 

She shook her head, “No, I’ve been locked out as well. This has gone so far above my reach I fear I don’t have any sway in it like I might once have. You know how slow the government is to react to things such as this, and if you want to keep them out of the hands of the science community…”

Elisa feared the day they would storm Xanatos’ and take them all away like stray lab animals that had escaped quarantine. She had never really entertained the thought beyond their initial conception. 

Chavez was right, but Xanatos always found a way.

“Thank you, for letting us be the ones to interview him,” she thanked Chavez.

“Think nothing of it, the two of you are the most skilled detectives I have in the Task Force right now,” she crossed her arms over her chest, taking a deep breath. “I’m giving the two of you the week off, the entirety of the Task Force actually. You guys have been in the office for too long. If I see any of you in the office I’ll be taking your badges,” she smiled and chuckled at her joke.

“Well, if that’s an order?” Bluestone chuckled as well, “Guess I will see you both next week. I’m going to take a nice long nap,” he waved them off as he started down the hallway.

Elisa snorted, watching him go, “You ever seen a chicken strut like that?”

“Never been to a barnyard so I can’t say,” Chavez raised her eyebrow and shook her head. “Either way, I feel he’s earned it. So have you,” she turned to Elisa, “Go home, get some rest. I’m sure you haven’t slept in quite a long while.”

Elisa’s mind drifted to the night before, she had gotten quite a bit of sleep, but also quite a bit more. If he were a man she would have been worried but they were two different species after all. 

“You could say that, haven’t had time to clean up my apartment in a while. I think I’ll spend the day doing that,” she hadn’t been to her apartment in the past week except to give Cagney some food and change his litter and water. She needed to talk to Xanatos about officially moving, considering her relationship with Goliath and the rest. 

“Well you best be off then, I’ll see you next week,” Chavez turned and went back into her office, shutting the door and leaving no room for more conversation.

———————————————————— 

Her apartment was dusty and a little disorganized, but nothing a little bit of elbow grease couldn’t fix. She had been able to put everything in order and decided it was time to visit her brother. He needed to be updated, and Xanatos had given her permission to extend an invitation to him and his people for the Christmas party. 

The tunnels were as dark and damp, but there was a warmth to them that hadn’t been there before. Talon and his folk had helped the lives below ground thrive. Between their rulings and holding others to the ideals that all were accepted, life had become much more peaceful. 

He was a strong man, a smart man, and she was proud of him. Everything had been against him and here he was, still living and being successful in what he did.

“Hello,” she greeted Al, a long time resident of the Labyrinth.

“Hullo, here to see Boss-Cat?” He smiled and waved, pleased to see her it seemed. 

“Yup, I’m here to see my brother, is Talon around?” She walked deeper, trusting him to follow her and answer her questions. 

“He’s with Maggie right now, you okay?” He seemed worried about her. 

“Yes, I’m okay,” she paused and extended a hand for him, “Thank you.”

He took it and smiled before he turned and went back to his position as a guard. 

The Clones unsettled her, they were designed after people she loved and yet they were nothing like them. Though, Delilah was oddly charming. Elisa felt a connection to the woman, not just because part of her had been used in the creation of Delialah, but because there was something magnetic about her. Maybe that was the Demona in her, or maybe it was something all her own. 

Fire blazed in the trash cans around the edges of the main room when she entered. People milled about, none paying her much mind. 

Talon had his back to her, one arm wrapped around Maggie’s waist. He was discussing something with Claw. She didn’t want to interrupt so she stood by one of the fires and warmed her hands.

“Good, that’s settled then. We need to get our hands on some fresh food again,” he nodded to Claw. 

Claw started counting off people he knew who could help them, “I know a guy who got connections to a local grocery chain, we can get the stuff that’s technically expired but still good. He also knows a guy down at a bakery not far from here.”

Seemed that the number of vagrants had increased, probably attracted to the idea of the haven that Talon and his Clan offered them. He and Goliaht’s ideals weren’t too different, but their focuses were; it didn’t surprise her that the two Clans refused to join apart from occasionally helping each other out. 

“We still get checks from Xanatos, some of the trusted humans can go and use that to get supplies as well,” Talon added on, looking over his shoulder and spotting her. He had a sixth sense when it came to feeling people watching him. 

She smiled and waved, it had been nearly two months since the last time she had dropped in and she felt bad about it. 

“Well, look who’s here!” The edges of his muzzle lifted in his own way of smiling, “Haven’t seen my big sister in a bit, how are you?” He let go of Maggie so he could wrap her in a bear hug. 

“I’m doing good,” she buried her hands into his fur and hugged him tightly, “I came down to give you some updates as to what’s been going on topside.”

Maggie drifted over to them, waiting for her turn for a hug. Elisa liked the woman quite a bit and she could see why Brooklyn had originally become friends with her. 

The trio moved to someplace a little quieter, and she launched into what had happened since the interview had taken place. It was a lot but still, she felt like they could have done more. 

“Now, Goliath and I are in a relationship. We don’t know what to label it as, him being a Gargoyle and all that jazz,” she smiled at him, her hands twisting in her lap, “Either way, I’m pretty happy. I’m going to ask Xanatos if I can move into the castle.”

“Makes sense,” Talon and Maggie nodded, “Knew you had the hots for him since the first time I saw the two of you together,” he smirked, pulling Maggie close. 

Elisa scoffed and smacked his arm. Maggie laughed behind a paw.

“It’s nice to hear you found someone,” Maggie shoved Talon a little, “Goliath is better than most, so I’m happy for you.”

“Thanks, sometimes the differences in culture make my head spin, but he’s good at communication,” she paused and gave that statement a thought, “Well, sometimes. Anyway, Xanatos is throwing a Christmas party at the end of the week and I got permission to invite your Clan along if you’d like.”

He hummed and nodded, “The Clones as well?”

“If they weren’t there your Clan wouldn’t be whole now would it?” She raised an eyebrow at him, “But yes, Xanatos also stated that explicitly and the Manhattan Clan is aware, no one will be shocked.”

He relaxed and leaned into Maggie, his paw finding hers, “Sweet, thanks, Elisa. We’ve also got some news to share with you,” Maggie smiled at him before turning to her. 

“We’re expecting,” Talon wrapped a wing tightly around her. 

“Oh! That’s great news!” She clapped her hands together.

“We know the child is going to be a mutant, but which side they’ll take after we are a bit unsure. We also know they may not live to term, both Maggie and I are prepared for whatever may happen,” he looked to Maggie and they both nodded, “We only have a request, that Xanatos find us a doctor who can help us.”

“Seems like a reasonable request, he will probably be interested in the child for his personal uses so we’ll have to be careful, but since having his son he’s softened out and is a real family guy,” she was sure Xanatos would figure something out. It wasn’t the wildest request they had made of him in the past. 

“Thanks, sis,” he extended a paw for her to take. 

She squeezed it, “Hey it’s all okay, I can’t wait to be an aunt. Goliath and the rest will be excited to hear the news, they all care deeply for Maggie and know you are important to me. If need be I’m sure they will give her a place to stay in case anything were to happen.”

“I’d prefer to stay with Derek, but it’s comforting to have a back-up plan,” she smiled sweetly.

“Exactly, just as a back-up or in case the baby needs special attention,” Elisa leaned back and stretched. “It’s been a wild few days, I’m worried about the Gargoyles Rights petition that Chavez submitted to the higher-ups”.”

“You said no one’s heard anything, right?” Talon frowned.

“Nothing, and the QuarryMen aren’t on U.S soil so there’s little the police force can do to help us get Coldstone back. We’ll have to take the matters into our own hands. Fox was talking about calling Dingo up to help us, seeing as he’s a superhero now,” she chuckled and shook her head. 

“That guy? Really? Time must be changing,” Talon laughed. 

“One would think, but we are stuck in limbo until the petition goes higher. Who knows how long that will take, maybe even years. It took forever for minorities in the States to get their rights. You could argue we are still fighting,” she huffed and crossed her arms, “and Gargoyles are a whole other species and we can’t get out act together to protect endangered species already.”

“Funny you should say that, endangered species. Gargoyles are basically that, right?” Talon asked.

She rubbed her chin in thought, “I think you’ve given me an idea, we can put pressure on the emphasis that there are so few and if they keep sitting on their thumbs they may go extinct.”

“That’s a strong scientific angle, might buy you some sympathy as well,” he added. 

She and Xanatos had never considered tackling it from a more conservation-based argument and she felt silly not having thought of that before. 

“Thanks, I’ll see what we can do,” she checked her watch, “I’ve got just enough time to make it to the castle before everyone else wakes up,” she stood up and dusted off her jeans. 

“Hey, thanks for visiting, it was nice to see your mug again,” he stood and wrapped her in a hug. He had become more affectionate since his mutation, she didn’t want to give it too much thought as to the reason why.

“It was good to see the both of you again, I’ll drop by sooner next time,” she smiled and they saw her off to the entrance.

She made her way to the castle, thinking about the baby Maggie was carrying. The child would be a mutant but what kind was up for question. Maggie was a mix of lion, bat, and eel as well as her base human DNA. Her brother had the same but instead of lion, he had black panther. The child would have bat and electric eel DNA for sure, but what feline base it would have was up for debate. There was also the question of the human DNA that both still retained. 

Her thoughts kept her busy the whole way back.

“Evening Xanatos,” she greeted him in the main living room. Alex was fast asleep against his chest, the two seemed to have been reading books before the little boy had fallen asleep.

“Nice of you to drop by,” he smirked, “Why don’t you just move in already?”

“You see, I was going to ask you if that's alright with you and Fox,” she threw herself down into the overstuffed couch. 

He snorted, “You live here already and are a member of the Clan,” he cupped the back of Alex’s head, his thumb rubbing the boy's temple. “We’d be more than happy to make you a permanent resident, cat included.”

She laughed, “Thank you, I’m sure Cagney will love the gardens and all the free-roaming space.”

“I have no doubt, we’ll contact a moving company and get your lease settled. Shouldn’t cause many problems.” 

“Derek and Maggie are expecting,” she watched him carefully. 

“Didn’t think that was possible but congratulations are in order, I’m sure they’ll need help finding a doctor right? That’s why you're telling me.”

“Yup, he asked me to ask you,” she closed her eyes and tipped her head back. 

“Well, this isn’t the first time nor the last time I’ve been asked to do something like this, sure. I’ll see what I can do,” he kissed Alex’s crown.

“Why do you do all of this?” She had told Goliath before that Xanatos had thought of them as friends and that friends help friends, but his help had reached levels beyond what normal friends do for each other. 

He raised an eyebrow at her, “Because Goliath is the reason why I have my money, my family, and my Clan,” he shrugged. “If I hadn’t gone back in time with him I would not have the fortune I have now, if he had not helped defend my son I would not have him right now. You are important to him and therefore important to me, not to mention you’ve helped me on numerous occasions,” she nodded, having a better understanding of his mindset.

“Things that are important to you are now important to me, Goliath told me himself he sees my little family as part of his Clan, and is it not the Gargoyle way to support other members of the Clan?” He did have a point there. 

She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, “Yeah, you’re right. It makes sense to me.”

They sat there in companionable silence until the Gargoyles filtered into the room once the sun set. Everyone was chatting about their plans for the day and the mundane things that they wanted to get done. 

Hudson made his way over to her, “Evenin’ lass, you got news on Coldstone?”

“Indeed I do, he’s in Scotland. Kirkwall is what our captured QuarryMan told Bluestone and me,” she rolled her shoulders.

Goliath caught her attention as he entered the room, his eyes scanning for her and his nose flaring as he tried to sniff her out. She thought it was cute, how the Gargoyles relied just as heavily on scent as they did sight. 

His face melted into a smile, he leaned down to kiss her and she tugged him to sit next to her. She waited for him to figure out his wing and tail situation before curling up her legs and leaning heavily into his side. 

“Since he isn’t on U.S soil there’s little we can do legally to get him back-“

“So we’ll have to do it the old fashioned way,” Brooklyn interrupted her, “We’ve done that before, and I’m willing to do anything to bring our Rookery Father back,” the other two of the trio nodded in agreement. 

“I too wish to see my children again,” Hudson settled heavily into the chair that he had claimed for himself. 

Goliath's chest rumbled, “We need to bring home our family members.”

Xanatos sat up, Alex stirring at the sounds of his playmates’ voices, “Good thing I have a hover jet and a wife who is an excellent pilot. We should contact Dingo and ask him to help as well, he’s been wanting to break out of the Australian hero market and make a step up to the international stage,” Alex wiggled out of his arms and rushed over to Lexington.

The boy loved all his playmates, but Lex seemed to be his current favorite. 

“Hey there buddy,” Lex caught him before he could stumble over his own two feet.

Goliath rested his chin on the top of her head, breathing her in. 

The pretty picture was back and overwhelmed with the warmth she felt for those in the room.

“Goliath?” He hummed his response, “Maggie is going to have a baby.”

He pulled back slightly so he could look her in the eyes, “What excellent news, I hope all goes well with them.”

“I’ve already asked Xanatos to help with any of the complications, so it should be okay, but isn’t it exciting? I’m going to be an aunt,” she snuggled back into his side, excitement for the future filled her. 

They had an idea where Coldstone was, she was going to be an aunt, and Goliath loved her just as much as she loved him.


	20. The Grand Party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic is now officially a month old~
> 
> Thank you, and I honestly mean it, thank you for reading and reviewing, leading comments, giving kudos, and book marking this fic. I didn’t expect anyone else to notice it or really care about it so it means a lot to me to have people enjoy my work and saying it’s a fav of theirs <3 
> 
> AND as always I really appreciate any spelling/grammar adjustments. I live and work in Japan and spend most of my day in Japanese so I tend to forget English/mix up words that are similar enough in spelling or meaning that the editing programs I use don’t pick it up <3
> 
>   
> \--------------------------------------------------  
> (As of July, this Chapter has been edited by the lovely Missyjenne)  
> \--------------------------------------------------

The halls of the castle were filled to the brim with their guests. Fox was acting as the main host, drifting around the room and keeping conversation and drinks flowing peacefully. Not that anyone in particular was tense or needed to be controlled, it was nice to see everyone present. 

He took a deep breath and located the members of his Clan easily. Lex was currently with Amp out in the garden, Broadway was standing with Angela and they were talking to Una, Brooklyn was with Hudson as the two caught up with Ishimura members who had joined them for the interview. 

Their names were escaping him, but he could ask them later. 

Elisa was also not too far away, she was laughing at something Vinnie had said. Beside Vinnie was his new girlfriend, a member of the community that protected the secret of the Gargoyles. How Vinnie had been able to find himself a mate would remain a mystery, but Goliath was pleased for him. 

A hand clapped to his shoulder, by scent and feel alone he knew it was Griff. He turned and smiled, “Hello my friend, enjoying the party?” 

“For sure, it’s nice to see so many of us gathered at once. Sure we are all safe?” He leaned in to whisper his last question. 

Goliath nodded, “Xanatos upped the security and Lex put out more cameras and sensors. If anyone tries to launch an attack tonight we will see it coming long before it arrives,” he put his hand over Griffs. “Shall we grab a drink?”

The two walked over to the main table, it was laden with various foods and bottles of alcohol Goliath had never laid eyes on before. Humanity certainly had become creative with their culinary arts since the last feast he had attended. 

“Now, I’m not supposed to tell you, but when have I ever followed the rules,” Griff chuckled, “I’m going to be joining King Arthur, on his quest to find Merlin.” 

Goliath froze for a moment, “When did you meet King Arthur?”

“Thought he was a burglar, low and behold he’s the damn King,” Griff laughed, “It’s been hard for me, being in the future. Everything’s changed so much and the people I once knew are completely different,” Goliath watched as his eyes trailed over to Una. Leo had joined her. “Things are too different.”

Goliath could understand his sentiments. Though, he felt Griff had it worse. At least the people he once knew, besides the Princess and the little boy, were all dust by now. Griff’s ghosts were still walking and talking, and over five decades older than him. 

“I understand, it’s hard to adjust for me as well,” his mind strayed to Demona. He hadn’t thought of her since bedding Elisa. His gaze flicked over to her, she was still with Vinnie. “Sometimes it feels like a horrible dream, and sometimes I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

Griff nodded, “Exactly. So when Aruther offered me a knighthood, well how could a Gargoyle of British blood say no? I haven't announced to the Clan yet, I didn’t want to ruin Amp’s moment.”

That piqued his interest, “What of Amp?”

“It’s another secret I’m not supposed to share,” Griff winked, “You’ll know soon enough.”

With that he sauntered away, wrapping an arm around Brooklyn’s neck and butting into his story. The two got along well, it would be a shame to see Griff off, but Goliath understood. It’s hard to see the ones you love no longer be who you once thought they were. 

He drifted through the crowd, his eyes scanning the room for threats, even though he knew none were coming. 

Elisa smiled at him when she noticed his approach and extended a hand for him to take. It filled his chest with warmth, he squeezed her palm and drew close so he could stand behind her and she could lean on him. 

“Vinnie was just telling me about how the Ishimura Clan had a great harvest this past year, more than enough to feed the hatchlings. They think with the new farming technology they have they could support even greater numbers of clutches in the future,” she reached back so her fingers could tangle in his hair. 

He also enjoyed how open she was about their relationship. The past week had been busy, but they had been able to slip away and enjoy their alone time together. She wasn’t shy about it either, and her hunger almost matched his own to his surprise. 

It was nice to be the object of her desire and affection. 

“That’s excellent news, do you know how many eggs were laid at the winter solstice?” He asked. 

Vinnie thumbed his lower lip, “I think Kai mentioned something of around sixty or so?” 

Goliath was impressed, even by his standards that was quite a large clutch. The Ishimura Clan was far larger than he expected.

“Excellent news to hear,” Xanatos joined them. “Elisa and I are collecting data on how many Gargoyles they are so we can start a conservation petition, so they may not get rights equal to humans but at least rights equal to an endangered species,” he sipped his cocktail. 

“That’s a rather smart idea Mr. Xanatos!” Vinnie agreed, “OH! Sir, this here’s my girlfriend, Mana,” he introduced the dark-haired woman beside him. 

“Hello Mr. Xanatos, I’ve heard much about you,” she had a melodic voice, and it sounded as though she had learned English from when she was young, as she did not have the same accent as Mr. Hashimoto.

Elisa tugged his wing and turned in his grasp, “Let’s go chat with others, I also hear Una and Kai would like to speak with you.” 

He nodded, following her as she led him to the two other Clan leaders. Una had parted from Leo and was standing alone with Kai, the two chatting and at ease around each other. 

“Evening,” Goliath rumbled out. 

The two greeted him and Elisa with warm smiles, Kai’s wings twitched and added a friendly undertone to his speech. Goliath attempted to do the same.

“Ah, the highly respected member of the Clan is joining us,” Kai’s eyes twinkled with mischief, an emotion Goliath had yet to see cross his face before. 

Goliath snorted, he had almost forgotten about the conversation the two had had on the rooftop that one night nearly two months ago. The differences in wing-speech had certainly smoothed out over time, his Clan didn’t use them as often but attempted to use them when speaking with the members of the Ishimura Clan. 

“What?” Elisa was taken aback. 

“It’s nothing, just an inside joke as you would call it. I will explain later,” his tail thumped the ground, expressing his amusement to Kai rather than anger or frustration. “I hear you would like to speak with me?”

“Yes,” Una cut Kai off before he could open his mouth any further. “We have brought you good news, both Kai and I are donating Eggs. As a sign of goodwill and trust. Also, Amp, I’m sure you remember him. He would Iike to join your Clan and on his behalf, I am making the request, though he is not alone in wanting to join. There is a hatchling who when she heard about the Gargoyles in the castle on top of a tower wanted nothing more than to join you as well.” It was all too much to take in. Eggs? Amp? A hatchling? It was a gift too great, one he could not repay. 

“Now before you say anything else,” Kai rolled his eyes at Una, “We do not want thanks. We are not doing this to put you in debt. We are doing this because we view your Clan as our sibling and we want to support you.”

Elisa shifted to wrap her arms around his, he could feel her excitement.

“You may not want it, but I shall thank you anyway,” he smiled, “I would like nothing more than to meet the hatchling as well as talk to Amp about him joining.”

The two leaders nodded at his request.

“The five eggs have been placed in the War Room, we figured it was the safest place currently and then on your own time they can be moved elsewhere. Two of them are from Una’s Clan and I have added three of mine,” five eggs, five new lives that would join them in ten years. He felt giddy. His Clan was whole once more. A Clan without hatchlings or eggs could barely call itself a Clan. 

Una led the way to the garden, Goliath knew both Amp and Lex were out there but he hadn’t picked up on the faint scent of the hatching the last time he had scented for his Clan.

It was chilly outside but no longer snowing, Elisa’s sweater and jeans offered her little protection from the wind, so Goliath made sure to grab her a blanket from the well-stocked baskets that now seemed to be at every door that led into the gardens. He assumed Fox was behind it and he appreciated her kind gesture. 

With the blanket wrapped firmly around her shoulders and entered the Garden. Amp was relatively easy to spot, as was Lex. He could see a smaller figure that sat beside Amp on one of the many stone benches in the garden. 

Lex glanced over and noticed their approach, a smile split his face and his tail shivered happily. Goliath could feel the happiness radiating off of him. 

“Good evening,” Una came to a halt before them. 

Amp nodded his head while Lex gave his usual greeting of, “Hey Una, Goliath, and Elisa,” he nodded to each of them. 

A small voice called from behind Amp, “Hullo.”

“As we all know this is Amp,” she gestured to the white-stag Gargoyle, “Goliath, will you accept him into your Clan?”

It had been a while since he had seen a ceremony of Clan exchange; with Eggs, there were no pomp and circumstance, but for living and breathing Gargoyles there was a small one. 

“I do,” he reached out his hand for Amp to take, “I, Goliath, accept Amp into my Clan so that he may become one of us in name and lineage,” he squeezed his hand.

“Amp, will you join Goliath’s Clan and treat them as your own as well as allow them to treat you as their own?” She turned her attention to Amp.

“I do,” he squeezed back, “I, Amp, accept Goliath as my Clan leader.”

They released each other and Lex was quick to scale the other Gargoyle, easily settling so he sat on the others' shoulder. It looked like they were far more familiar with each other than previously known. 

“Well, with that settled, please let me introduce the little one,” Amp stepped back so Una could pick up the hatchling. “This is Claire, and ten years of age as of the last egg-laying,” she smiled down at the little girl. 

She was a type of Gargoyle he hadn’t seen in many a year even back at the original Castle Wyvern. Her top half was that of a pale, fair-skinned girl, though her eyebrows and ears betrayed her as Gargoyle rather than human. She had locks of wild red hair and eyes a deep cornflower blue. Her lower half was that of a Faun, with cloven feet instead of talons. Her wings were also featherless but had a light dusting of sable fur that was the same shade as her legs.

She was small for her age, but maybe it was due to what kind of Gargoyle she was, she was no larger than a human four-year-old.

“Hello Claire, I am Goliath and this is Elisa,” he held out a finger for her to take, “I hear you would also like to join us here, can you tell me why?”

She smiled, showing off her gap-toothed grin and that her incisors were coming in nicely, “Daddy Griff told me all about you guys and the adventures here. Back home we don’t got that, I always see New York on the TV and it’s so colorful and different,” she squeezed his finger, “That and Daddy Amp should not be moving all by himself, that and Mum Coco told me to keep an eye on him,” she giggled and look over at Amp who was smiling back at her. 

“I see no harm in you joining us, if you wish to go back to Knight’s Spur I can call them at any time,” he looked to Una for her approval. 

She nodded, “We won’t do an official member transfer ceremony, as she is too young to decide such a choice yet, but in the future when she’s older and may want to stay we can do it then; do you find that agreeable?”

“Of course, I will protect her as if she were my own and I know the others will do so as well. Alex will be thrilled to have a playmate more his age,” the young boy was far younger than her but he was above any of his human playmates as it were. 

“Excellent, here,” she shifted Claire over so Goliath could take her. 

His wings shuddered as he supported her small body in his arms, she smiled and settled in easily.

“Elisa is one of our Clan as well, she’s a Rookery Mother to you, and we shall introduce you to the rest of your Rookery Parents later,” he turned her to face Elisa, who extended a hand for her to take.

“Hi Claire, welcome to New York,” her face was soft and open, Elisa adored children just as much as he did. 

“Well, this is all so touching,” Goliath froze, his blood roaring to life in anger. He slowly wrapped his wings around himself as he looked to the castle rampart.

Jon stood there, one hand on his hip and one hand holding a rather large sledgehammer. 

Elisa smoothly moved in front of him, her hand dropped to her lower back where Goliath knew she had her pistol strapped to herself. She had gotten special permission to have it after hours, just in case. 

“Jon,” Goliath greeted him.

“What do we owe the pleasure of meeting you?” Una also shifted slightly to stand between Amp and Jon. Lex tightened his grip slightly. 

Goliath swore he could hear the snowfall through the sky as it softly began to snow again. 

“Nothing much, just that I heard about a big ol’ reunion party and figured I might get a shot at exterminating some monsters and their sympathizers,” he swung the heavy hammer over his shoulder and tipped his head back. 

“There’s little you can do alone.” Goliath liked the fire in Amp’s voice, he would fit in with the rest just right. 

“Who said I came alone?” They couldn’t see any choppers in the air, no alarms had been rung; it made Goliath uneasy to be out in the open and unaware of where exactly their enemy could strike from. 

He didn’t like having a hatchling in such danger. Claire was quiet against his chest, her eyes locked onto Jon and he could see the wheels turning in her head. She was a bright one. 

“Jon, it would be wise of you to put down the weapon,” Elisa drew her gun and aimed steadily at him. Her voice was calm and collected but her scent was all over the place with panic and fear. 

“Now, Elisa dear, be honest with me. You’ve always been so attached to them, I couldn’t help but notice...” He trailed off as he jumped down from the edge of the castle and took a few steps towards them. “Have you laid with a monster?” 

“If you come any closer I will use force, this is your official warning,” she didn’t answer his question. 

Chills erupted across Golaith’s body, he didn’t like the look in Jon’s eyes. Madness and anger were flashing darkly at her. 

Goliath took a step back, trying to put distance between Claire and the madman. They needed to alert the others, his eyes flicked to Lex who was also watching him. He nodded and jerked his head to the doorway. Lex had the highest hope of moving the fastest while being the smallest target. 

The next few seconds seemed to go in slow motion. 

Lex tensed and Amp readied himself for the other to launch towards the door, Una was tensing to jump into the air and take flight where she would be strongest as her kind could actually fly, Elisa kept her sights on Jon and Jon alone, while Goliath readied to throw himself to the ground and allow Claire to escape into the underbrush where she could hide and stay safe. 

It would have gone perfectly had a large shadow not appeared from behind.

The pain was like nothing he had ever felt before, the snarl that ripped from his lips was akin more to a wild beast than a Gargoyle. He whirled on it, his one arm supporting Claire and the other trying to put pressure on the gaping wound in his side. 

Thailog smirked down at him. 

“Hello father,” as he spoke, time sped back up again.

He howled and scrambled back, he heard Elisa shoot but didn’t see what happened. Goliath could taste blood and his senses narrowed to the hatchling in his arms. She was quiet throughout the ordeal, neither struggling or panicking. Her instincts were overriding any and all emotion, even her scent was neutral. An old survival tactic to hide from other creatures who dared attack a Rookery. 

Elisa’s scent drew nearer as his world faded to a narrow, red, tunnel. 

He didn’t understand her words but he knew he had to hand the hatchling over to his mate, she would care for the child. Goliath roared and lunged forward with the full intention to rip Thailog’s arms clean off.

\--------------------------------------------------

She should have known better. Elisa cursed herself as she wrapped Claire in the blanket shawl she wore and made a mad dash across the garden; instead of going to the main hall, she launched herself over the castle wall and landed into the slightly lower garden below. She tucked and rolled, keeping Claire close to her chest. 

Her shot had missed, Golaith’s howl had made her hands shake. Jon was still running free but she needed to protect Claire. Amp and Una didn’t know the castle as she did, she had the best chances to get away and stay hidden in case there were more QuarryMen.

Thailog, as a QuarryMan? She couldn’t believe that the two of them would team-up. 

The castle burst into a flurry of activity, Xanatos’ Steel Clan bursting to life and from the sounds of it were keeping however many QuarryMen there were at bay. 

She threw herself into a small alcove of trees, slamming her back into the thickest trunk. Her chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath. Claire was still silent in her grasp and it was starting to scare her. She peeked into the blanket and saw Claire blink up at her but say nothing. 

“It’s okay, I’ve got you,” Elisa whispered, “Nothing is going to happen to you,” she cradled the girl close. 

She listened to the sounds of the struggle die down, she kept trying to pick up Golaith’s voice but there was too much going on. A branch snapped not too far away from her position, she had holstered her gun after her first shot and she had four more bullets left to go. 

She drew her weapon and peeked around the edge of the tree, trying to see who could have made that sound.

“Elisa?” Her brother’s voice whispered to her. 

“I’m here Derek,” she called back, putting her gun back where it belonged, “Is it safe to come out?”

“I was sent to find you, Amp showed me the direction you took off in. We’ve got five QuarryMen captured, but both Thailog and Jon got away,” he appeared from the shadows and wrapped her in a hug, “Glad to see you’re okay.”

“I’m okay, I don’t know if Claire is though,” she peeled back the blanket enough to show him the hatchling, “She came with Amp to join our Clan, only a hatchling,” she gave him the short story of it all. “Goliath, how is he? I saw Thailog hit him with something and he went mad afterward….”

“That’s why I’ve been sent to get you,” he grabbed her hand and led her out and up back to where they came from, “We need you to help us get him back under control, he’s bleeding and it’s bad.” She didn’t like the tone of his voice, it must have been bad. 

Elisa didn’t know how she hadn’t heard it before but Goliath was howling her name into the night, tearing through the garden and snapping at anyone who dared get close to him. 

“Elisa?! Where are you?!” He roared and she could feel the stonework beneath them shudder with the force of it. He lashed out at Angela who had tried to approach him. 

“Careful lass, he doesn't’ know friend from foe right now,” Hudson put a hand on her shoulder before she could rush to him, “That, and ye have the child right now,” he nodded to the bundle in her arms. 

“Here, let me take her, I’m sure she’s in shock,” Amp stepped up to take her. 

“It’s not shock lad, it’s a survival instinct. She’ll be quiet for a bit, but eventually it will fade and she’ll be herself once again, dunna worry,” Hudson’s wisdom was something she would always be grateful for.

The others had gathered and she could sense their unease at how Goliath was lashing out. 

“You need to get him with this,” Xanatos stepped forward with a syringe in hand. “He needs to stop moving so we can assess the damage done, Thailog took a good chunk out of him and he’ll bleed out before morning,” he handed it to her. She made sure it was capped before stashing it in her back pocket. 

She didn’t want to question him about why he had Gargoyle grade sedatives, she knew why and it didn’t make her happy.

“Hudson, suggestions?” She looked over her shoulder at him. 

“Be careful, be slow, and be open. That will reach him. He’s still himself but a more feral, berserk even, self. I don’t think the lad will hurt you, but I don’t think he has his mind about himself,” his words gave her a little bit of confidence but not a whole lot. 

“I need everyone to clear out, please. I don’t want him spooked by anything,” his roars for her were pulling at her heartstrings,

Brooklyn nodded, she knew he would fulfill his position as the second. The rest were cleared away and it was just her and Goliath left behind. 

She took a breath to steady herself, “Goliath?” She called out gently at first and then louder and louder until his attention snapped to her. 

“Elisa,” he breathed out and rushed to her, his talons dug into her upper arms as he dragged her closer to him. He pressed his nose into the side of her neck while whispering gently her name once more. 

“Goliath, you are hurt…” she couldn’t see the wound but she could smell the tinge of blood in the air, “Let me-“

“-No,” he snarled and picked her up, “We aren’t safe here,” his eyes were unfocused and wild, she knew he wasn’t really aware of anything. Between the panic and shock, his body was relying on instincts alone. 

He picked her up and stumbled through the forest and out into the night air, his eyes glued to the tower, “Higher ground, need higher ground,” he mumbled that over and over to himself. 

Anytime his senses picked up on one of the others he would snap in the direction, with his wings flaring and tail lashing. 

“Goliath, look at me,” she cupped his face in her hands, “Hey, Big Guy it’s me, listen to me,” he stumbled and came to a stop so he could lean his body against the tower. The smell of blood was getting thicker in the air and she didn’t like it one bit. 

He glanced down at her before looking back up at the tower. 

She wiggled in his grasp and he snarled at her.

“Hey now, that’s not okay,” she pointed a finger at him and he recoiled, “Set me down,” her tone back to being soft. His grip loosened on her, “Please, I need to help you. Let me help you,” she chanted over and over so he could focus on her voice. 

Goliath was mesmerized by her it seemed.

“Elisa, it’s not safe,” he started. 

She shushed him, “Come here Big Guy, focus on me, okay?” She leaned against the tower and slowly started sliding down it, her hands reaching for his so she could pull him down with her. 

He was resistant at first but gave in as she kept going. 

“Come here,” she murmured.

“Hatchling, hatchling okay?” His senses were slowly returning to him, she could see it. 

“Claire is okay, she’s with Amp right now. We are all okay, but you,” he started leaning down further into her “Thailog-“ at the mention of the Clone’s name he flared upwards and snarled. 

“Thailog!” His talons dug deep into the stonework. 

“Goliath, look at me,” her voice firm, “Look at me.”

His eyes snapped back to her, his nostrils flared, and his wings once again dropped. 

“That’s it, you’ve gotta be tired. Come here, let me braid your hair,” she made a patting motion with her hand.

He grumbled and growled but finally collapsed against the stones and put his head in her lap. Goliath pressed his nose to her inner thigh and his eyes slid shut. She unwrapped the blanket and moved it under his chin and ear to create a make-shift pillow for him. She put the sedative down beside her other leg

“That’s it, thank you,” she dragged her fingers through his hair and parted a section of it to work with. It was a little awkward but she would make it work. “Rest, okay?”

He grumbled and nodded against her, the fight left his body. 

She glanced at Xanatos and the others, Hudson nodded his approval. With gentle motions, she uncapped the sedative. With one hand she dug deep into his mane and scratched her nails up and down, his chest rumbled with his pleasure and she knew it was the perfect time. He wouldn't even notice. 

Elisa had been right, a prick and it was over. She kept scratching him and speaking in low, soft, tones as he drifted to sleep. She realized it was a rare occasion to have him be asleep and not be stone; of the Clan Hudson was the only one who indulged in naps. 

She let out a long breath once he was settled and still, but she didn’t want to get up just yet. 

“Can I get another blanket and a report on what’s happened?” Lex was quick to get her a few more blankets that he wrapped around her shoulder and threw over Goliath as well. 

Xanatos stood beside her, “Lex burst into the main hall and alerted us, turns out the bastards found a way to get into our mainframe and trick the surveillance cameras into a back loop so that what they projected in the security room was footage from hours ago,” he gritted out. 

“No one was harmed here save for Goliath, that lad got a chunk ripped clean out of him,” Hudson commented as he peeked under the blankets and Golaith’s wing, “We’ve seen worse, he’ll be okay now that’s no longer berserk.”

“Is that what that’s called?” Xanatos asked.

“Aye, that’s what we call it when one of our own loses himself and becomes feral, Goliath did so due to the lass, Claire, was it?” He glanced around. 

Amp came forward along with Una, “She’s unharmed, thanks to Elisa here,” Una planted a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it. 

“If you no longer want Claire to be one with our Clan, I understand and respect your decision. She was in direct danger today, and I’m so very sorry for it,” Elisa reached up and put a hand over Una’s.

“We shall let the child speak for herself,” she let go. 

Claire began to stir and looked from Amp to Elisa to Goliath, “Oh,” she let out a little squeak. “Is he okay? He doesn’t look well,” Elisa had seen children in shock before and they did not react like Claire was. 

“He’ll be okay by sunset tomorrow, don’t you worry,” Lex extended a hand for her to squeeze.

“Are you okay?” Xanatos asked the little girl, he hadn’t been introduced to her yet but he was a smart man, he probably had figured it out by now. 

“I’m okay, Mum Elisa made sure I was safe while I was away,” she really wanted to talk to Goliath about the instincts that had taken over the child and made her so still and quiet. She paused at how the Child had referred to her. 

“Claire, would you like to stay here, with Goliath and Amp?” Una asked gently.

“Yeah, I think Mum Coco would be sad to see Daddy Amp alone,” she dug her fingers into his fur and gave him a tight hug.

“Then it is decided, none of us besides Goliath was harmed and we captured the QuarryMen,” Una nodded to all.

Kai approached from behind, “All the guests have been settled in a different part of the Castle and are safe, the prisoners are in the dungeon,” he smiled, “Looks like having a castle with those rooms already functional is quite useful.”

“Also, we have proof of Jon being here and plenty of eyewitnesses, we can get him accused of attempted murder with intent to harm humans as well, not to mention breaking and entering my property,” Xanatos looked around, “That’s enough for the N.Y.P.D. to see him as a threat I assume.”

Elisa nodded, “Yes, even with excluding the attempted murder of Goliath and the others, he still said out loud that he wanted to hurt humans who were allies to the Gargoyles.”

“Let’s get the lad inside, I’m sure he’s deeply asleep now,” Hudson looked him up and down. 

“My bedroom, let’s take him there. That way if he does wake up and starts to go berserk again he’ll be surrounded by my scent,” he had calmed considerably once she had gotten close enough that he had been able to scent her directly. 

“Excellent idea,” Amp extended a hand to help her stand while she gently shifted Goliath's head off her lap. He stirred a little bit but not too much. “Here, you take her and see to the rest, we will get him moved and settled,” Amp handed her Claire. 

The child shifted her tight grip to Elisa’s sweater instead of Amp’s fur. 

Brooklyn and Broadway, who hadn’t said anything before, both silently came up to flank him. 

“I shoulda-“

“Shut up, it ain’t your fault. We didn’t know, couldn’t have known,” Brooklyn shook his head at Broadway. “It’ll be okay, we’ll be okay.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” he sniffled and rubbed his nose with his arm. 

“Hey guys, it’s okay,” Elisa gave them soft smiles, “Things like this happen, don’t think about what could have been done, you’ll only hurt yourselves,” she knew from experience what a downward spiral with that train of thought would be like. “Bluestone is inside?” She asked Xanatos.

“Aye, we tried to keep all the humans indoors to prevent them from coming to harm,” Hudson grunted as they began to shift Goliath. 

Xanatos nodded as well, “Yes, I’m certain you want to update him, I’ll take you to him.”

“Thanks, I need to talk to him about Jason and Robyn, see if they have a reason as to why he has a base in Kirkwall and why all of a sudden he is keen to kill humans who are close to the Gargoyles,” she shifted Claire to her hip and the little girl pressed her nose into the skin of Elisa’s neck. 

There was much to be done and so little time to do it, his trail would be cold by the following day, and with Jon feeling brave enough to attack them at home she had a bad feeling about the upcoming days.


	21. The Recovery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo~ thanks for dropping by 
> 
> <3
> 
>   
> \--------------------------------------------------  
> (As of July, this Chapter has been edited by the lovely Missyjenne)  
> \--------------------------------------------------

Elisa squeezed Jason’s hand as she finished her story of the night before. 

“Well, sounds like my brother has certainly become a real piece of work,” Jason huffed and shook his head. “I’m sorry about what he did to Goliath, and what he threatened to do to you,” he placed his other hand over hers.

“It’s not your fault,” Elisa shook her head. 

“No, but he is family and I feel like I’m responsible for my little brother, I’m sure you’ve felt the same before.” He was right, Derek had always had a knack for getting into trouble, still did. “I was able to see Robyn yesterday, for just a little bit, but it was good to see her.”

“Glad to hear it. Do either of you have any clue as to why he would choose Scotland?” She asked. 

He thought for a moment, “Well it is our ancestral home, so he’s probably got the mindset of he wants it to all end where it began I suppose,” he shrugged. “That or that’s where his benefactor is, who I have no clue as to who would back this.”

“Me neither, even Xanatos and all his connections can’t figure it out,” she leaned back in the plastic chair, her mind in a tailspin. Chavez was still keeping her and the others under threat of being fired if they went into the office until after the weekend. She had been ready to snap her in half when both she and Bluestone had walked in to make formal statements of what had happened the night before.

They turned over the five QuarryMen they had captured, and Elisa had also logged that she had fired her gun but no injuries resulted because of it. Most of the morning had been spent between meetings and offices while the legal system figured out what it was they needed to do. 

She didn’t envy Chavez one bit.

The two sat in silence for a little bit, both turning over ideas in their head but not yet willing to give them a voice. 

It struck Elisa like a lightning bolt, she dragged her hands over her face, “I feel like an idiot; MacBeth! I need to contact MacBeth, he would know more. Last I knew he was living in Scotland and the poor guy can never catch a break when it comes to Gargoyles. It’s like his fate is tied to their whole kind.”

Jason raised an eyebrow at her, “I don’t know the guy myself but if you think he’ll help, then it’s worth a shot. Sorry I couldn’t be more helpful.”

“Don’t apologize, you’ve helped plenty,” she smiled at him, “I don’t know if I’ll be able to make it to the trail tomorrow, I haven’t been called in as a witness since the N.Y.P.D. don’t know I was there…”

“Don’t worry, I have no intention of throwing your or Bluestone under the bus. Robyn and I both plan on pleading guilty and doing our best to work with the police force to help apprehend him, and with what happened last night I’m more than willing to give them everything I had,” she knew he spoke the truth by the hard edge that had entered his eyes while he spoke. 

She let out a long breath before standing, “It’ll be okay, eventually.”

“Yeah, one day,” he nodded and waved her off. 

Box one on her to-do list checked off, now it was on to number two. 

Xanatos had been quick to contact her apartment building and had settled a deal with them, somehow he had managed it so she wasn’t breaking her lease and for that, she was eternally grateful. Elisa had modest savings but New York’s housing was notorious for bleeding people dry. The moving company needed her to be at her apartment around noon so she could grab Cagney and open the door for them. 

Most of her stuff was already packed, and the company told her not to worry about the rest of it. They were a fairly priced company and they had also offered to unpack her items free of charge in the Castle. She had turned down that offer, much preferring it be herself and the Clan to do so. 

Cagney was relatively easy to snag and place in his carrier. She left him in the bathroom and turned off the lights to help calm him down. After that she headed into the kitchen and took a seat at her counter.

So much had happened in her apartment that she was sad to see it go. It had been her first rental after moving out of her parents’ place, and there were so many memories that lived in the walls. Some good, and some bad; she winced at the memory of being shot. 

Moving to the castle would make her life easier, but it also would expose her to the unknown at her workplace. Something needed to break. Chavez knew that she was closer to the Gargoyles than she should be, but had chosen to cast a blind eye on it, she was asking a lot more by moving in with Xanatos and his wife.

There was no logical reason as to why she was moving in, and she was going to have to defend herself if anyone ever found out. 

Elisa usually kept to herself at work, having been more of a lone-wolf before Bluestone had been assigned as her partner. Few knew where her original apartment was besides Chavez. 

It was a risk she was willing to take.

The moving company made quick work of her apartment. She knew she didn’t have many items but it was still surprising to see her whole material existence bundled up and packed away in under six hours. A quick drive and another two hours of unloading and the deed was done. They had even taken care of disposing of the items she no longer needed for a reduced price. 

Elisa would have to ask Xanatos where exactly he had found the movers and if he had struck a deal with them behind her back. 

She had kept them out of her main bedroom, Goliath had been laid to rest on her bed and he was still there. It would be hard to explain a giant Gargoyle statue on her bed to the moving company, so it was just easier to say she hadn't chosen her room just yet. 

Fox was waiting for her in the kitchen.

“Good afternoon,” the red-haired woman smiled as she flicked on the kettle.

“Been a busy day for you too?” Elisa slid into one of the bar stools. 

“Time waits for no man,” Fox chuckled, “David and I are finalizing the clean energy experiment and preparing to make an official announcement at the next convention,” she glanced at the calendar on the wall, “Which is in two weeks. We’ve got plenty of time.” 

She seemed unfazed about what had happened the night before, maybe it was because of her time in the Pack. Elisa turned to her and asked, “Are you okay? After last night?”

Fox peeked at her out of the corner of her eye, “I was perfectly fine, and so was Alex. I know Owen would rather die than have harm come to my boy, and I know the Clan would never let anything happen to him. I know you were out in the garden when it happened, but Bronx’s reaction was immediate and appreciated,” she chuckled. “I have all the faith in the world that my boy will be taken care of until he can do it himself. Was I worried for myself? Never in a million years.”

Elisa hummed and nodded, she was right on both counts. “Makes sense to me, I’m just amazed that the QuarryMen were brave, or stupid enough, to attack us on home turf.”

Fox prepped Elisa’s coffee the way she knew the other liked it, “People do stupid things when they are desperate. I’m more shocked about Thailog.”

“I never expected him to join forces with Jon, he’s a Gargoyle after all,” it was confusing, to say the least, that the people on completely different spectrums would come together to fight them. “An enemy of my enemy is my friend I guess?” She took the offered mug and blew on it. 

“I guess, either way, we’ve decided to keep the Steel Clan permanently on, no longer keeping them in stasis storage.” Elisa had been wondering about that, she had seen them moving about the castle as her things had been unloaded. 

“Thailog can’t attack during the day, but Jon certainly can and this will be an excellent deterrent,” Xanatos sauntered into the kitchen. “Hello my love,” he wrapped an arm around Fox’s waist and kissed her cheek. 

“Morning to you, I finished organizing the files and data points,” she pulled away so she could take a seat next to Elisa. 

“Excellent work, I’ll take over from there. I’m sure your projects need your attention,” he pulled out supplies to make himself a lunch, a sandwich by the looks of the bread and meat. “Want one?” He caught her eyeing up his ingredients. 

“If you don’t mind.”

“Course now, everything moved?”

“Yup, I’ll unpack once everyone wakes up. It’d be more fun to do it together, though I did release Cagney into my room” she rested her elbows on the counter. 

It was nice to be so domestic in her daily life, it had never been like this before she had met the Gargoyles. She owed a lot of things to them, but they had really given her an extended family and a place where she could just simply be around others without the stress and worry of work dragging her under the pavement. 

“I’ve updated the security system to recognize him, so if you’d like he can have free run of the castle too. But, I suggest putting a tracker on him first,” Xanatos smirked, “The grounds are far larger than you think sometimes.”

That was a pretty good idea, she would look into it but first, they had other matters to address. “I visited Jason today, he had no news but we brainstormed a little bit together and I think we should reach out to MacBeth.”

The two exchanged glances, a private conversation she had no hope of deciphering.

“We had been considering it, but he’s a bit of a loose cannon,” Fox set down her cup. 

“After the fight between Demona, Thailog, and himself, he seemed a lot less geared towards death and destruction,” she shrugged, “He’s tired of the world as far as Goliath and I know. But he may help us,” or at least she hoped he would.

“It’s worth a shot, we can’t lose anything by asking,” Xanatos set a plate in front of her.

“Thanks, didn’t get a chance to get breakfast, had to go to the precinct and make the statements and hand over the perps. You should have seen the look on Chavez’s face, if looks could kill,” she laughed before taking a bite. 

“I can only imagine. You tell your team to take a week and low-and-behold, two of the team still seem to only find trouble no matter where they go,” Fox chuckled. 

“Right? Bluestone and I just can’t escape it.”

“Gotta be fate,” Xanatos shook his head before biting into his sandwich. 

The trio passed the time brainstorming their next move, Elisa was waiting for the sun to go down but her body was heavy and exhausted from all of the excitement. She had the weekend free to do whatever she wanted and she planned on spending most of it in bed, hopefully with a certain Gargoyle if he chose to join her. 

“I think I’m going to take a nap,” it was only just past three but her body was shutting down against her will. 

“That’s for the best, you’re doing too much all at once and you’re going to regret it unless you get some rest,” Fox glanced at her before turning back to the newspaper she had spread across the counter. 

She left the two behind and meandered her way to her new room. Cagney was nowhere to be seen but that was to be expected, cats never liked anyone after moving. 

Her gaze was pulled to Golaith’s form on her bed. His stone form weighed heavily on the bed and caused a considerable dip that he didn’t make when he was awake. It was strange to see him in stone sleep not standing and striking a pose of some sort. The Trio had gotten pretty original in their compositions since Angela had joined them and she bet Amp and Lex had a pose together. 

If she wasn’t so tired she would have gone and checked. 

She threw a blanket over Goliath, just in case she rolled over and ran into him, it would make a little bit of a barrier between her and his stone skin. 

She didn’t bother changing out of her worn-out jeans and knit sweater, she was comfortable enough as she was.

The bed had never felt softer as she sat down on it to take off her shoes. Once her boots were stripped and she wiggled under the covers, sleep whisked her away almost immediately.

\--------------------------------------------------

He was slow to come to consciousness, something he wasn’t used to but if his memories of the previous night served him right, it was because his body had been in overdrive healing itself. He looked down his side, trying to find where the hole had once been and was instead greeted by a blanket that had been thrown over him. 

Goliath's sense returned to him slowly, it put him on edge, but he was surrounded by Elisa’s scent and therefore knew he was safe. 

He was in her bedroom and he glanced over to find a lump in the blankets where he knew she would be. He took a deep breath and felt the shards of his skin crunch underneath him as he shifted. 

A glance at the clock told him he had slept beyond ‘waking up’ and that it was close to ten o’clock when he knew the sun had been setting around seven. He collapsed back down into the bed and let his body figure out its place in the world. 

His gaze flicked over to Elisa, her hair peeking out and her breath steady. She was well asleep and he knew that the moment he started to move around she would wake. A heavy weight landed at the foot of the bed and he heard a cat begin to purr. Looks like Elisa’s items had been moved to the castle during the day. 

Did she ever take a break, he wondered to himself as Cagney made his way up the bed and onto his master’s pillow. The cat mewed at him softly and began to knead the pillow with his paws. 

Elisa shifted and turned, “Cagney,” she whined, “Stopppid.”

Goliath snorted, “Good morning to you.”

She peeked out from under the blankets, “Feel like you’ve been hit by a train?”

“More like a plane,” he groaned and shifted, more of his skin shards shattered further, “Sorry about the shards.”

“It’s all right, I’d rather have them here than not,” her arm snaked out of the bed to cup his cheek. “And it’s nothing a shaking out and a wash can’t fix.”

He wanted to stay in bed with her a little longer, but they only had so much time to get things done in the moonlight hours. 

“Want to help me unpack? Everything’s been moved over and I think it would be fun for everyone to help,” she sat up in bed and pulled back the covers. 

“Of course,” he shifted carefully to not get shards on the floor.

“This room is so large that I’m sure everything that’s mine will fit.” It had been the Princess’s room, after all.

The room had a large hearth and a sitting area around it. There was a vanity area where a bowl and pitcher were placed on a standing cabinet next to the mirrored desk that was situated in the far corner. The bed was against the main wall and many tapestries were hung about it. Xanatos had also improved on the design and had an attached bathroom added when he had remade the Castle. 

“I’ve got some furniture I’d like to move in here, but I also had the mover’s take quite a bit of it away. Considering the kitchen and living room are elsewhere in the castle and not places I have to furnish,” she chuckled as she opened the door and started moving boxes in. 

Each was labeled so he could easily tell what belonged where. 

As the two kept moving about and making noise the others soon gathered, sensing it was okay to approach him. 

Goliath paused when Lex drew near with Claire.

“Hello, Little One,” he smiled and offered her a hand. She took it and scrambled up his arm and settled so she was straddling his shoulders and her legs dangled over his chest. It wasn’t uncommon for Gargoyle Hatchling to find the highest ground and perch there, she was at the age where she would be taking small glides to strengthen her wings.

“Una and Kai along with the rest are still here,” Brooklyn took the box out of his hands and moved it for him. He smiled at Elisa and she took it from him, “They wanted to be able to say a real goodbye.”

“That’s kind of them, I am sorry for last night,” he looked at each of the Trio in turn, “I believe that’s the first time you’ve seen a Gargoyle truly go berserk, and I apologize that neither Hudson nor myself have told you about it,” he bowed his head slightly, taking care so the Claire was not unseated. His wings also lowered in his apology. 

“Hudson told us about it before we went to sleep, and he taught us about why Claire reacted the way she did,” Broadway nodded to the others, “It was Angela who was the most scared, but she understood why it happened.”

Shame washed over him.

Brooklyn grabbed his wrist before he could open his mouth, “It’s okay. We were all shocked at what happened, it wasn’t right is what it is. Elisa gave us good advice yesterday,” he turned to look at her, “You only hurt yourself by thinking about what you could have done or should have done, we are okay and that’s what matters.”

“When did you become so wise, my son,” Goliath let out a long breath.

“I have plenty of good teachers,” Brooklyn let out a laugh, turning to grab more boxes.

Everyone helped her to unpack. They were gentle with her clothing, being sure to not poke holes in the fabrics with their talons. Each of them had asked in the past about human fashion and Goliath had never been able to answer their questions. Human fashion was something that seemingly changed overnight in his opinion. 

“Elisa?” Lex approached her on all fours, “Can I ask you a question?”

Elisa paused in her work and smiled down at him, “Of course, what’s up?”

“I was wondering if you knew how to sew? Fox doesn’t and neither does Xanatos,” he sat back on his haunches. 

She hummed, it was the noise she made when she had to dig through her memories, “I learned how to work a sewing machine in school, so I could teach you some of the basics.” 

“Thanks! I want to take human clothes and maybe adjust them so I can fit into them,” it seemed Lex had taken a shine to fashion. 

“Yeah, I’d like to learn too,” Brooklyn chimed in, “I once wore this awesome leather jacket and can you imagine if I was able to add slots for my wings to fit?” 

“I know Angela wants to wear clothes like Elisa does, and I wouldn’t mind something a little comfier,” Broadway set another box next to the bathroom door for Elisa to handle. 

“Yeah, I don't see why not. We can look up some videos on how to adjust clothes and I can show you how to use a sewing machine. I think my mom may have one, and if anything maybe she’s better at sewing than I am,” her gaze drifted over to him and she could see her thoughts as they flitted through her mind. 

He wouldn’t mind trading his loincloth for more modern clothes, he only wanted to be able to move with ease and comfort. He snorted and Claire tugged on his hair. 

“I’ve been exploring the castle,” he felt her shift her legs and so he stood still for her. 

“Have you? And what have you found?” He lifted his hands so she could stand on his shoulders and shifted to face the bed, knowing full well what it was that she wanted to do. 

“This place is full of secret passages,” she readied herself and launched from his shoulders, her wings spreading and stretching the muscles that needed the exercise. “I’ve found plenty of secret hiding places. It’s way cooler than London,” she rolled from her slightly rough landing, her cloven feet finding it hard to get purchase on the bedding. 

“Is that so?” Her speech style was already shifting to the more New York style the Trio possessed, hatchlings truly reflected the world around them. He scooped her back up, “We should practice flight outside, not enough space in here for those wings,” he chuckled, thinking back to how his wings had been far too large for his frame for years. 

She huffed but agreed with him. When he turned back to the others he caught Elisa’s eyes, a large grin spread across her face as she watched him play with the hatching. 

In no time at all her room was unpacked. Lex and Broadway had helped to strip the bed, shake it out, and bring the sheets down to the washing room. When they came back they finished filling her closet up with her hanging clothes. Angela eventually joined them, Goliath wanted to take her aside and speak to her but she skirted around him, not ready to address the previous night’s events. She took charge of Elisa’s folded clothes and dresser items. Brooklyn had helped her bring in the bookshelves and started to fill them with her goods. Elisa had taken over her bathroom. So, Goliath took charge of shifting around the sitting room furniture to fit her couch and chairs she couldn't part with. 

By the time they had completed setting it all up, it felt less like the Princess’ old room and far more like Elisa’s. It suited her, they had even found a way to hang up her posters over the stone walls and the clashing of the old and new gave the room a feeling that seemed to suit it and her well. 

“Perfect, thanks guys,” she bounced Claire on her hip and turned to her freshly made bed. “Everything looks perfect, it would have taken forever if I had done it alone.”

Goliath turned to Broadway, “How long are the other Clans planning to stay with us?”

“Una mentioned that she wanted to leave tomorrow, and Kai said he wanted to go the day after that, his Clan is tired from the big time gap between Japan and America,” Broadway made his way over to Angela. 

She didn’t meet his eyes.

Goliath nodded, “Angela, if I may have a word?” He extended a hand in peace.

His Rookery Daughter stiffened but took it. 

He glanced at the rest and they all understood. 

“I think Alex should be up by now, why don’t we find him and play?” Elisa looked down at Claire, the little girl nodded. The Trio also voiced their want to join and so they were off. Leaving the two of them behind. 

“The garden?” He asked softly. She nodded, not saying a word. 

He led them out into the garden and cleared one of the snow-covered benches before he took a seat. She sat beside him and he quelled the instinct to wrap a wing around her, instead, he squeezed her hand. 

“I know Hudson explained to you what happened yesterday, but I still would like to apologize. You have never seen a berserk Gargoyle before, you should have never had to see one but I lost control of myself. Will you forgive me?” She turned to look him in the eye.

Her own eyes welled up with tears and she sniffled, “Aren’t you mad at us?” Her voice broke.

“Oh child,” he sighed, moving to wrap both of his wings around her into a tight hug, “I am angry only at myself, and the danger I placed everyone in while we were under attack,” he dragged a clawed hand through her hair. 

She tried to explain herself but he shushed her. 

“No, you have nothing to apologize for. There was nothing we could do. Thinking about that will only bring you harm and make everything more upsetting,” he used Brooklyn’s earlier words to comfort her. 

They stayed like that for a while, he waited for her sniffles to die down.

“Things happen, and we can’t control them,” he held her back a little so he could look her in the eyes, “We are all okay. Shaken, but okay.”

She nodded, wiping away her tears, “Yeah, you’re right. It was scary to see you so hurt. I’ve never seen so much blood,” she shivered and curled back into his chest. 

Goliath realized how protected from Gargoyle culture and ways his child had been on Avalon. She had fought in wars, but that was a war waged in magic. Magic did indeed draw blood, but not to the same degree as swords and axes. He had forgotten that her time was not the same as the Trio. Much like Claire, she was still only a child. 

Elisa found them like that in the garden, she approached them with a blanket wrapped tightly around her shoulders.

He waved her over, moving his wings to release Angela slightly and make room on his other side for her to settle and sit down with them. Elisa pulled herself close and wrapped her arms around his waist, a hand reaching for Angela’s. 

“We contacted MacBeth, he’s willing to help us but he’s got a few terms. Xanatos and I didn’t want to agree to them without you there,” Elisa paused to take in a breath, “I also need to tell you that Demona is with MacBeth right now as well, and she’s offering to help us get Coldstone back.”


	22. The Business of Histories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ;3 I’m working on a side project for Gargoyles rn, just a one shot but that was my focus this past weekend 
> 
> Thanks for dropping by~

She rolled over in her bed, her internal clock telling her it was time to rise and shine. It was her last day off before she had to head back into the office and she wanted to spend it with the Clan.

“Elisa,” she felt his weight dip the bed slightly as his hand shook her shoulder, “My Sunshine,” he murmured.

“Good mornin’, time?” She pulled back the sheets and tugged him to join her in the warmth.

“Just past eight,” Goliath maneuvered his tail and wings so that they weren’t folded weird under her heavy duvet. The sheets still smelled drier fresh and she wanted nothing more than to lay with him for a moment.

“Perfect, we’ve got the whole night ahead of us,” her fingers trailed over his chest and neck, leading up to his jaw so she could tweak his ear.

He sighed and leaned into it, closing his eyes. The deep chest rumble she had come to enjoy started up again, he reminded her of Cagney in some of the best ways. She almost wished she could purr like that so he knew that she was just as pleased and at home as he was. 

Elisa wiggled in the bed so she could press up against him, her legs searching for him so she could entangle hers around his. One of his eyes cracked look at her, an eyebrow twitched with it. He hummed his question at her and in response, she pressed her lips to his chest and dug her fingers into the base of his wings. 

The response was instant in that his chest rumbled to life under her touches. 

“Elisa,” he sighed her name, she’d heard it said that way too many times to count over the past week and she never wanted it to end. 

She hummed, “I want you,” she ground down against his leg and dragged her nails up his back to the back of his neck so she could tangle into the hairs there. 

“I always want you,” he leaned in to kiss her and she could feel his hunger. 

With practice, he had gotten much better at kissing, and it was almost too much for her. She broke away to gasp for breath, her hand leaving him to reach below the blankets and begin to wiggle her way out of her loose t-shirt. 

He beat her to it, his fingers tugging the material over her head. Goliath hummed, pleased to see her bare chest. 

“I appreciate that you do not wear bras to bed,” she laughed at him. He still struggled with modern contraption but most modern men did as well. 

“Why would I put another layer between us?” His hands traveled down her sides to tug her sweats off as well. She gripped his neck to help maneuver her legs out of the material.

He stopped his hands as they curled around her bare hips.

She smirked at him, “like I said, why put another layer between us.”

Goliath was struggling to keep a grip on his inner beast. If she were to be honest she wanted him to let loose at least once, so she could say she had experienced it. Ever since the incident in the garden she had wanted to see him a little less in control of himself. 

He growled and dug his face into her neck, taking a deep breath and kneading her flesh but being careful with his talons. 

Elisa reached up to tug on his hair, pulling his head back so she could look down at him, “clothes, off. Now.”

He was quick to comply, throwing the blanket off of them as his hands made quick work of this thick leather belt. It would be a shame to see him in more clothes but her mind’s eye conjured him up in a heavy knit sweater and just how attractive that would be. It just wasn’t fair. 

Goliath boxed her in with his arms as he loomed overhead, his wings flaring in the space above them. God, she would never get tired of that view but she had a new idea she wanted to play with, one they hadn’t tried yet. She had a list and she was going to check off every box with him, as long as he wanted it too. 

Elisa threw her hands above her head, stretching her body in the way that made his body shake with want of her. She knew she was being coy, but she needed to bring him to the edge. 

“Come ‘ere Big Boy,” she murmured. 

His eyes softened, the fire still there but not burning as it had been. She gave him a quick kiss before wrapping her arms around his neck and throwing her weight into him. 

“Wha-“ he was cut off as she settled into his lap, his wings crumpled in a way she knew was uncomfortable so she let him shift and reposition himself. 

“I wanna try something new, and that means I need you on your back,” she spreads her fingers across his chest and ground down on him. 

His nostrils flared and his eyes blew wide, for once his words were caught in his throat, “Elisa-,”

“Shhh, let me take control,” she winked and kissed him while he settled back into the bed, wary but willing. 

He was experienced, but not well-versed, and she had so much she wanted to show him. She liked that he trusted her in bed enough to give way to her, to let her take the reins and lead them someplace new. It warmed her heart.

Goliath couldn't keep still as she kept grinding down on his lap, she could feel him grow with each pass and it lit a fire in her belly. His gaze burned into her, her pillow keeping his head propped just enough that she had a full view of him. 

Elisa dug her nails into his chest and dragged down to his belly, shifting her lower half down the length of his body as well. He made confused sounds but he would know what she was doing soon enough, his tail thumped into the bed and from the corner of her eyes, she could see his wings shivering with excitement. 

Maybe he was more versed than she thought, either way, she was going to give him the ride of his life. 

She settled her weight on his legs, she wanted to keep them as still as possible so that she wouldn’t get bucked off when she made her move. With confident ease she wrapped her fingers around him, carefully keeping an eye on his shocked expression as she gently started tugging. 

Part of her grinding down on him had been to impart a bit of her wetness. She flicked her wrist on the up-slide and was nearly unseated from his legs with how hard he jerked.

“Elisa, please,” he gasped out, there was a tone she hadn’t heard in his voice before.

“Hey Big Guy, I’m not done yet,” she tied her hair back and gripped him at his base. 

She would remember his choked off question for the rest of her life. Elisa heard the fabric of the sheets rip and tear under his talons. He was just too big to fit fully into her mouth and she was out of practice, but he probably didn’t mind. 

Goliath shifted to lean up and try and get a better glimpse of her, she lifted her eyes to meet his and he collapsed back into the bed.

“Elisa, please, oh-“ he struggled to keep his grip on the sheets rather than the back of her head to guide her up and down motions. 

Elisa set a steady rhythm, her hand working in tandem with her mouth while the other curled around his hip and gave her an anchor point. She hummed and it was like she had stuck the tip of his tail into a socket.

“No- no more, please,” he gasped out, his wings curling in.

She popped off, taking a deep breath as she scooted up to straddle his lap. He reached up for her, his arms wrapping tightly around her shoulders, a hand went up to cup the back of her head. He shifted so he was fully sitting with her in his lap. His wings wrapped tightly around the two of them. He was shivering and shaking and it concerned her.

“Are you okay?” She whispered her question softly. 

It took him a moment to come to his senses, “I’m okay… it was just more than I could take,” he breathed out shakily.

“That’s okay,” she dragged her fingers through his locks, “thank you for telling me it was too much.”

“Elisa please, I need to be in you. Now,” he was still shivering and his pupils were still blown wide, “I need you.”

An easy smile slid across her face as she reached down and lined him up, “good thing I need you too.” 

Their bodies were pressed tightly together, he paused at her entrance, she could hear the wheels turning in his head. 

“What’s the matter?” She was worried she had pushed him too far too fast. 

“I- I may not be able to control myself,” his words were exactly what she wanted to hear. 

“That’s okay,” she crooned, her arms drifting over his shoulders so she could dig her fingers into the base of his wings knowing that it would be the straw that broke his back. 

He took a deep breath, his hands gripping her hips tighter. Goliath didn’t quite slam into her, but it was rougher than anything she’d experienced with him before. She gasped and let out a high wine and that seemed to spur him on. He settled his face into her neck so he could mouth it, the pricks of his fang balanced bringing out her feral side. 

Goliath bottomed out and was quick to snap out and back in, setting a pace that set her bones on fire. 

She moaned, her back arching. One set of his claws traveled her body and explored her skin, before settling on supporting her upper back. It was like he was trying to support her wings, though she had none. 

In turn, she dragged her nails up and pulled his face away from her neck so she could give him a shaky kiss. It helped to silence her moans, but only slightly. He snapped roughly into her once more and she had to break away, her gaze shifting up to the ceiling but she was unable to focus on anything. 

“Goliath, oh god, you’re amazing,” he snarled in response and she froze. 

Goliath gripped her tighter and manhandled her body so her back was pressed back into the bedspread. He boxed her in with both his arms and wings so the outside world was cut out. He was still snarling and growling as he settled his face back into her neck. She knew for a fact that she would be bruised by the end of this, not that she minded. 

He had more leverage with her back against something solid and the force of it was almost too much. Elisa gasped and threw her head back, her arms falling away from his neck and instead, wrapped them around his arms so she had something to keep her steady. 

Each breath he let out was tinged with a growl that bubbled up from his chest. Each thrust was like a bolt of electricity that went up her spine but there was no exit. 

“God, please,” her chest was heaving and she was losing strength. 

His pace picked up and she almost couldn’t handle it, but instead of faster it was deeper. It was like he was trying to take up any and all space available in her body. She was sure no part of her was left untouched. It was overwhelming between the weight of him, the strength of him, and she could feel her body tightening and preparing to snap. 

She groaned and threw her head back, his teeth digging deeper into her. 

What set her off was when Goliath pulled back and rumbled at her, “my mate.”

He growled and ground into her as she crumbled to pieces under him, she gasped and tears sprung to her eyes with the intensity of it all. With a few more quick snaps of his hips and he howled his completion, keeping her body close to his.

Both of their chests’ heaved in tandem.

His voice brought her back to her body as he pulled back and began checking her for damage, “Elisa, Elisa my Sunshine please, are you hurt?” There was a tinge of panic to his voice. 

She shushed him, pulling him to lay down beside her. 

“I’m fine, I’m great, you were amazing,” she smiled and curled into him, “I love you.”

He relaxed beside her, settling into the bed, “I love you too.”

“We can join the others after a quick nap,” she chuckled and shifted so she could curl even further into his chest.

He kissed the top of her head, “Of course,” he squeezed her and tangled his legs with hers.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“We need to gather supplies before we make the assault,” Dingo shook his head, “that will take time for both Mcbeth and myself.”

His words were true, Goliath simply wanted to get Coldstone back home as soon as possible. They had no idea if Jon had plans to harm him in the near future and with his behavior two days prior taken into consideration he may try and use Coldstone to bait them out. He rested heavily in the chair, his wings draped over the back of it. 

“As much as I want to go in there guns blazing, Dingo’s right,” Brooklyn crossed his arms. 

“If you need more Gargoyles to join you, I’m more than willing to ask my Clanmates if they would be willing to help you out,” Kai shifted in his seat.

Everyone was once again gathered around the war table, but this time it wasn’t for diplomatic reasons. Even so, Goliath couldn't help that his eyes tracked Elisa around the room and focused on the section of her neck that was slowly but surely bruising. Even the thought of it sent a flush through him. 

She was insatiable and pulled parts out of him that he hadn’t thought possible.

Xanatos cleared his throat, he had caught Goliath starring again. 

“As I was saying,” he continued, a smile hidden behind his eyes, “while we are gathering out strength Elisa should talk to Chavez about the rare and endangered animal acts instead.”

They needed to cover as much ground as possible before another attack took place. The five men they had captured had given precious little information about what was going on in Scotland, either as they didn’t know or they were unwilling to give it up. 

It was frustrating that there was little he could do personally. He had no agency in going forward apart from when they finally made landfall in Scotland. Until then, it was up to Xanatos and Elisa to pull the weight of the Clan. 

“I can do that, Bluestone is also more than willing to make sure Chavez isn’t getting suspicious of me as a double agent,” she snickered, “she hasn’t noticed that I moved apartments either, I think it’s because of my P.O Box hasn’t changed.”

Goliath hadn’t realized how much she risked moving into the castle to be with them. He hadn’t wanted her to put her career at risk, but the current benefits of being so close together constantly were something he also didn’t want to give up. He was damned if he did, and damned if he didn’t in this case.

His eyes tracked her as she handled one of the Eggs. The Clan had decided to keep them in the War Room as it was the most central and guarded room in the castle besides Xanatos’ families quarters. 

Kai stood and paced the room, “there’s little else my Clan can do to help without putting ourselves in jeopardy.”

“You and your Clan have done more than enough, more than I could have ever asked of you,” he moved to her side and brushed wings with her, “you’ve given us too many gifts.”

He snorted, “we’ve been here before friend, no need to talk around this bush,” he flicked his wrist at Goliath, his wings shivering and jolting back to show that the other Gargoyle was being friendly in his tone and manners. Goliath flicked his wings back to let the other know his signal was loud and clear. 

“There’s also the matter of Demona currently residing with McBeth. He didn’t give us a lot of information as to why, simply that she was there,” Xanatos took a seat in one of the chairs around the central table. 

Notes were scattered across it from when they had planned the initial interview, it was organized but certainly chaotic.

“He did mention that she had joined him recently,” Elisa picked up one of the Eggs and turned it over in the nest box that Brooklyn had thrown together. Lex had found extra blankets and each of the five Eggs were swaddled safely, though they still needed to be turned to ensure their health. 

He still couldn’t believe the generosity of the other Clans, giving his own such a precious and rare gift. 

The world faded away until it was just Elisa and the Eggs as she gently brushed her palms over their shells. It was like she was admiring their texture. His only regret was that she would never be a Carrying Mother and that yes she would help raise the next generation but they could not add to it together. 

Everything came flooding back to him as Angela rested a hand on his shoulder. He knew she understood his problem, they had chatted about it a little bit. Angela saw Elisa more as a sibling than as a parent within the Clan, but he couldn’t blame her for it. She hadn’t been raised as a Gargoyle, her culture would always be a little different compared to the others. 

He wondered if she ever did lay an Egg if she and Broadway would choose to raise it together rather than having the whole Clan raise it together. Goliath had told her it was her choice and that it may feel wrong to him culturally that she was more important.

Elisa and Xanatos were apparently in a debate about Demona, “I think she joined him after she tossed me from the top of the tower, maybe I got through to her?” Elisa supplied but shrugged her shoulders. 

“That could be the case, I still believe we need to be wary of her and if McBeth is her ally….” Xanatos opened his arms so Fox could hand over his son. 

The boy was well on his way to being a two and a half-year-old child despite him being only around half a year. He had been born in the summer and winter had yet to lose its grip on New York. 

Claire climbed out from under the table and leaned on the armrest of Xanatos’ chair so she could peer at the little boy. The two had taken quite a shining to each other and it pleased him greatly to see the future of the Clan boldly showing that humans and Gargoyles could be friends even from a young age. 

“McBeth had more to lose than we do, if she dies so does he, they are bound forever,” Angela shifted to face the other two, keeping her hand on his shoulder, “maybe what Elisa said did have an effect, but what effect we don’t know, can’t know until we meet her.”

The others nodded in agreement. 

“Fox, I’m sure you came here to tell the others that the craft is ready?” He glanced over to his wife, who in turn nodded.

“Indeed, everything’s ready to go, I’m sure the Ishimura Clan wants to get back home,” she smiled to Kai, “I know what it’s like to be gone too long.”

Kai nodded, “Yes, my Clan is eager to go home. I will gather everyone and then we can take our leave,” he stood and bowed to the room. “Thank you for your hospitality, please keep in up to date with what’s happening.”

With that, he left the room to find his other Clanmates. 

“Angela is right, there’s little we can gather while here. It’s best to not worry about Demona. If McBeth is giving up his backing and telling us she is there, that means he trusts us to stay out of his business,” Goliath shifted so he could stand up, “So we'll just have to put our trust in them. Clearly, what happened in Paris has changed the dynamic between them.”

“You’re right, at that time McBeth gave up the hunt for Demona, instead he just wanted to settle down. Maybe, just maybe, Demona is trying to do that for herself. She’s been alive all this time, and for what?” Elisa’s question dug deep and hurt. “She’s been struggling and fighting on her own for so long but McBeth is the only person she still knows and trusts who knew her from before, that in itself must be comforting,” her gaze flicked to his before she scanned the room.

“That makes sense to me,” Angela chimed in, “she’s probably trying to come to terms with everything. She never had time or reason to do that before, did she?”

“No, I do not think so lass,” Hudson finally added his voice to the conversation, “to her, McBeth must be like an ol’ war friend. They’ve been there and back together,” he rumbled out. 

Goliath nodded, it made sense to him. That was the kind of Gargoyle Demona had been once before. She hadn’t always been brimstone and fire, she had once been kind. His chest ached and he knew Elisa could see it. 

“Well,” she dusted her hands off on her pant legs, “Bluestone and I will talk to Chavez tomorrow morning about how instead of human rights, we go for endangered animal rights. That may be easier for the court of law to handle, considering they’ve never had to do something like this before,” she let out a little laugh, “but they’ve got experience in rare or endangered animal laws, and apparently they are a little bit easier to instate,” she walked over to where Goliath stood. “The future's looking bright, Big Guy,” she patted his chest before walking out the room. 

“She’s right, it is looking bright,” Xanatos bounced Alex on his knees while Claire held out a hand for the boy to hold. 

Yeah, it was looking bright.


	23. The Fact of Mortality

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all :3 thank you for leaving the comments and kudos!
> 
> I especially appreciate the comments with questions about what's going to happen and those that point out mistakes in my writing! Please, I'm not offended at all and it's helping my style grow and get better each time <3
> 
> Special shout out to those that have never failed to step up and correct me <3

Elisa’s mom not only had an extra sewing machine, but she also had piles of Derek’s old clothes that he had given them the going ahead to experiment on in learning how to custom tailor their own clothes. 

Diane had set up the machines on the living room table, they needed plenty of space for moving the clothes around as well as letting the Trio and Angela get a good look at what she was doing. 

He propped his chin on the crown of Elisa’s head, watching as Diane showed the others how to thread the machine and make sure everything was the right tension. Her hands moved slowly and with practiced ease, letting the Gargoyles watch her carefully.

“Now, first we are going to learn how to do a straight stitch, it’s the easiest and most useful stitch I’m going to teach you. Please make sure to pay close attention,” she adjusted her glasses and fed a strip of cotton through the machine. 

It was fascinating to see such a contraption, created solely to create larger things by stitching them together. He had noticed that modern clothes were more complicated than those from 200 years before. He tried not to think of Elisa’s undergarments but it made him fidget, his wings coming wrap around the two of those so she was fully cocooned.

Goliath had to suppress the want to rumble his pleasure at having his mate wrapped up in his arms, but he had not had an official conversation with her mother yet. Elisa had assured him that she had personally spoken to her mother and father about Goliath, and they had been a little uncomfortable but not upset. 

It was more than he had hoped for if he were to be honest with himself.

It was nearly impossible for him to be in a room with Elisa and not be touching her in some way. He needed to brush against her, or hold her even if it was just her hand, and he was grateful that she took it in stride. She even started reaching out for him the moment he entered the room. 

Her head came even with his chest so he had to hunch over a little to get his desired effect, but he figured that was better than wrapping her in a bear hug and holding her a chin level. 

Diane showed them how to start and end the straight stitch by stitching back and forth, snipped the stray end, and held up the end result for them to look at and turn over. 

Each got a chance to check out her work and each got a chance to be seated and have her helping hands guide them through the stitches. 

Angela cooed at her own work, turning and practically bouncing over to the two of them. 

“Look! Isn't this amazing! Consider what I can make,” she smiled at her work and it warmed his heart even further. He had been worried about taking her away from Avalon, away from her friends and family, but she had a chance at life here that she had no access to there. 

“You did amazing! With just a straight stitch you can adjust the length of a pair of pants, and once she teaches you how to sew on a curve you’ll be able to add tail holes to just about anything,” Elisa praised her and he had to cut his rumble short, though he was sure she felt it emanate from his chest. 

“I can’t wait to see what you will make,” one of his wings released Elisa so he could reach out with it and gently trace the stitch she had put in. 

She smiled and whirled back to the table, excited to learn more. 

Before the night was half-way done each of them had successfully put slits in the back of shirts that were large enough to feed their wings through. Lex had to learn a little bit of a different style due to how his wings worked but just as technology came easy to the smaller Gargoyle, sewing seemed just as natural. 

Goliath had eventually relaxed his grip on Elisa so she could mingle with the others and help give pointers. 

“Evening,” Diane approached him, her arms crossed over her chest, “I’d like some words with you.”

Goliath bowed his head, “of course, before that I would like to thank you. I’ve never seen them so happy to create and take part in what Elisa called ‘crafting’, and I wanted to thank you for being so understanding with them,” he knew some of their questions had been grating, but it was only because they were curious. 

She waved him off, “pay that no mind, it’s nice to be involved with Elisa’s life and her friends,” a glint entered her eye at that. 

Goliath froze, taking a breath to steady himself before saying, “ah, yes. Elisa mentioned she had spoken to you, and I too would like to speak with you.”

“Smart man, come with me into the other room.” He extended an arm for her to take and   
she snorted, “ah, what a gentleman!”

They walked into the next room over, a small seating space that if his memory served him correctly had been where the Princess would meet in private with the Magnus. 

He waited until she was settled in her chair to take his own.

“You know what I want to talk about, so I won’t start with pleasantries. What do you want with my daughter?” She was quick to question him, Elisa had quite a bit of her mother in her it seemed. It was interesting to see the family resemblance, so rarely were his kind so close to their own hatchling. 

“I love her. I want to take care of her and in turn, have her take care of me,” he knew being frank with her would gain him more ground, “did Elisa mention my past?”

“She’s told me quite a bit about you, some of which I didn’t believe until recently. She mentioned a Demona,” her eyebrow hiked and her tone accusatory. 

He took a breath to center himself, “yes, my love from before. My kind, we are joined for life. Demona, she had changed to the point that I no longer knew her and the Gargoyle she had become was no longer one I could love, so I am different in that,” he admitted. 

“And Angela?” 

“My Rookery Daughter, Gargoyles traditionally do not raise their children alone or in nuclear groups, but instead the whole Clan raises them together,” he rested his elbows on his knees, talons folding together, “Angela does not view Elisa as a Rookery Mother, but she does see she her as a trusted friend and family member.”

“I see. So, you’ve weighed the risks? If she is found to be in a relationship with you, there is a a chance her career is over,” he now understood her discomfort. It wasn’t because he was a Gargoyle pursuing her daughter, but because Elisa’s livelihood was at risk. 

“Yes, that’s why I was cautious in starting the relationship. I couldn’t put her at risk. I am no man,” he unclasped his hands and looked at his palms, “I cannot give her what a man can. I own no property, though Xanatos says this castle is as much ours as it is his. I possess no money, I have no work in which I can support her with, and I cannot give her the children she wants,” it hurt him to voice this all aloud. Despite all of this she had still chosen him, chosen to risk it all for him. 

“I can give her family, as you’ve seen today. Claire adores her, the Trio would not have adjusted as well as they have if it weren’t for her, and Angela needs a source of comfort that the rest of us cannot give her. Even Hudson, in his own way, adores her. Bronx too,” the Gargoyle Beast had been partial to her since the first day. “So yes, we know the risks.”

“That’s what I wanted to hear,” she settled back into the chair. “I needed to know that the two of you weren’t rushing into something and not looking at the big pictures. Elisa, as much as I love her, has too much of her father in her. Just like her brother, and we all know what has happened to him. I love him, I will always love him, but a mother can regret her child’s decision when she was unable to weigh in on it,” she sounded very much like Hudson. 

“Yes, I agree. I have helped raise many a Gargoyle in my time before this one. The Trio, Angela, and Claire are all I have left,” his hands had held so many others over the years, had cradled heads and patched up knees of countless nameless children whose faces he still remembered clear as day. 

He didn’t to look over at Diane, didn’t want to show her his pain. 

“My Clan was once large and powerful, this castle was built on the cliff that had been our home from before even Hudson can remember,” he looked to her, “I have been a Father, Son, and Brother, to too many and they are gone, returned to the dust we all come from.”

She reached out and took his hand.

“Promise me, that no matter what you’ll stand by her,” Diane demanded in soft tones. 

“Yes, I will. And I will make a promise to you, that as long as I walk this Earth Elisa will be safe with me. She will be protected, loved, and cherished by the Clan, in the present and the future,” he hoped his words struck a note in her, “even if she no longer wants me.” 

She seemed to relax, “that’s what I wanted to hear. I trust you, I am simply terrified that this decision will alienate her from humanity. I see your kind holds no such ideals?”

“As far as I am aware, Elisa and I are the first known Gargoyle and Human relationship in the modern-day. I cannot speak of the past, but each of the Clans we have run into haven't seen a pair like us. They were..." he searched for a word to fill in the blank he was leaving. 

“Fascinated?” She supplied for him.

“Yes, fascinated that such a union is possible. Though, no child can be born between us.”

“I know, Elisa told me, but she also told me that she would have more than enough children to help raise once the eggs hatch,” his wings shivered at hearing that. Elisa would be the perfect Rookery Mother, he could already tell. 

“If I may be honest?” He knew she was safe to confide in. 

“Of course, what’s up?” She sounded so very much like Elisa.

“I fear I will outlive your daughter by nearly a century, if not more,” it wasn’t a topic that he wanted to talk about but he needed to tell someone. “I am going to watch her turn grey and old, as humans do, long before time touches me the same way.”

She patted his hand, “but you love her. You’d rather watch it and be with her.”

He nodded, the weight lifting slightly, “it’ll be ten years until the Eggs hatch until then it is only Alex and Claire who are the Hatchlings within the Clan.”

“Have you talked about this with her?” She asked.

He shook his head, “no, I am too afraid to.”

“That’s okay, but I think you should talk to her about it. It’s something that clearly weighs heavy on your shoulders and your mind,” one of her hands drifted to tap the space between his eyes, “my daughter is a wise soul, an old soul even, and I’m sure she’s also thought of it as well and hasn’t brought it up to you. Time is something no man can fight, but that doesn’t mean you have to be alone,” she smiled at him, the creases around her eyes and the graying hairs around her temple framing a wizened face. 

“I’ll be lucky if Elisa grows old and looks like you,” he chuckled while she slapped his arm. 

“Flatterer, now, let’s get back to the others. I’m sure Elisa thinks I’m meddling in her life again,” she rolled her eyes and stood up, heading into the other room without waiting for him. 

When he joined the rest Elisa gave him a searching look but he shook his head a smiled, letting her know that all went well. 

It was true, time didn’t stand still but he knew people for whom it did. Maybe, just maybe, he could figure something out.

————————————————————-

“I decided that family was more important,” Xanatos sipped his drink, eyeing Goliath carefully over the rim of the glass. “I tried many things, from sorcery to modern science and it was Hudson who broke through to me, asking me what I wanted to leave behind.”

Hudson was always a wise Gargoyle.

“Don’t mistake me, I am not looking for immortality, I’m simply looking for a way to slow the passing of time,” Goliath leaned back into his chair. It was another one of those specially designed by Fox for the Gargoyles. His tail and wings were supported but not held at uncomfortable angles. It was nice to lounge and have a drink with his friend. 

“Slow down time? You want Elisa to age as you do?” Xanatos hid the nail on the head as Elisa would say.

“Yes, my kind ages at half the rate humanity does, but I have never seen a Gargoyle die of old age, neither have Kai’s or Una’s Clans last I checked,” the bourbon was nice, he was starting to learn the names of the drinks Xanatos served him. 

“Hmm, it’s possible that maybe one of Oberon’s children could help you, but I don't see why they would,” said Xanatos. 

“Puck cannot help us, that’s for sure. Would Fox’s mother maybe be willing to?” Goliath mused.

“She had far more schemes than even I, everything had gone according to her plan when they tried to take Alex away from us,” he could tell the other was annoyed at having fallen into her trap so easily. 

“Is there a way to strike a deal?” He questioned. 

Xanatos shrugged, setting down his drink so he could tug out his hair band and let his hair loose. It wasn’t as long as Elisa’s but it came to just below his shoulders now. “It would be like making a deal with the devil. I’ve tried the Cauldron of Life, still have it but it proved too dangerous and literal. I’ve even tried to control the God of Death, you remember that” he chuckled and took another sip. 

“Indeed I do, now I know what it will feel like to be old and withered away,” Goliath snorted. 

“All of my best efforts have been thwarted, but Oberon’s children are the only ones with the power to do so I believe,” Xanatos shook his head.

They both froze for a second, “we are idiots,” Xanatos ground out.

“Two children of Oberon live under this roof,” Goliath murmured, “I would not ask such a thing of your family, considering neither Fox nor Alex would know a spell to be able to do such a thing, much less the repercussions if there were any.”

Xanatos nodded, “but if we are able to get her Mother to teach her…” he trailed off, their eyes snapping up to meet the others. 

“Then there is hope. If anything her Mother might already have a plan in place for such a thing, having a powerful human contact to the modern world is something that she currently lacks, as she divorced Fox’s Father years ago,” he propped his feet on his desk. “Goliath, you are a mad man,” he raised his glass. 

“You as well, for even entertaining these thoughts with me,” Goliath raised his in return. 

“Hah! I was the first to try between the two of us.”

“Indeed you were, but if you hadn’t then I doubt I would be sitting before you right now,” the drink burned his nose more than his throat compared to the last drink they had enjoyed together. 

“Well, with that out of the way I do have a question for you,” Xanatos sucked on his teeth.

“And that is?”

“Alex and Owen need willing bodies for them to perform the soul transferring magic that they will use to separate the three, I was wondering if any within your Clan would be willing to step up and help. The thing with this spell as Owen has told me is that the bodies must be willing for the soul to be able to transfer,” magic was always more complicated than necessary, that’s why Demona had always handled such matters even though he was perfectly capable of casting magic. 

“I will ask the others, I’m sure they will do anything to get Coldstone back to us. The Trio misses their Rookery Mother and Father as I miss my siblings. We will have to think of names for them,” he chuckled.

Xanatos snorted, “I have also made quite a bit of progress on their mechanical bodies. I’m basing them off of the Steel Clan but with the help of Hudson I’ve been personalizing them so that the soul will hopefully feel more at ease with the shape it will take.” He always covered everything down to the most minute of details. It was something Goliath greatly appreciated in the other man. 

“If possible, I would like to see them.”

“How about now?” Xanatos asked, getting up out of his chair so Goliath could only answer with a yes. 

“Why not?” Xanatos topped his drink and Goliath’s before the headed out of the private office and into the main hall. It was a quick walk through the courtyard and into the tower. A level above was Elisa’s quarters, but the levels below had once belonged to the Magnus and all his magic. 

Goliath traced the stones as they descended into the tower’s basement, memories coming back to him slowly but surely. It had only been around a year and a half since he had last walked these halls, but it had really been around two hundred years. It still left him unsettled when he thought too deeply about it, the ghosts would return if he wasn’t careful. 

“Here,” Xanatos pushed open the large wooden door. 

The room was just as he remembered it, having visited a few times with Demona to pick up supplies or to deliver them. Only Xanatos had fitted it with a number of electrical machines Goliath would never really understand the function of. 

Two bodies were laid out on metal tables, their panels open and wires connected and disconnected at odd lengths. 

“I was tinkering with the systems flight processors, so excuse the mess,” he put a hand on the shoulders of Golaith’s Rookery Brother. A Brother that had caused quite a bit of grief to both Goliath and his other siblings. 

He padded over to his Sister’s form, it looked remarkably like her. The curve of her horns and the sharpness of her ears translated well into metal. Goliath reached out and tried to smooth her metallic hair only to realize it was a facade and could not be moved. 

“You’ve got a lovesick look on your face,” Xanatos leaned on the table. 

“Once upon a time, our Brother,” he motioned to the body beside Xanatos, “had tried to shove a wedge between her and her mate as well as myself and Demona,” he snorted. 

“Sounds like a drama right out of the ’80s,” Xanatos chuckled, “so even Gargoyles have relationships like that.”

“Yes, he wanted her but she was mated and had already laid an egg with her mate,” Demona had also laid hers at the same time, “and so he waged a little war within the Clan. We ended up getting everything settled and he was punished according to our laws but was allowed to remain within the Clan as no one had been truly hurt by his actions,” Goliath could remember it well. 

His Brother battled him due to the rumor that he was not in fact with Demona, but instead had bedded his Brother’s mate. Any Gargoyle with at least an eye and an ear could tell that it had been a blatant lie to cause rifts to form within the Clan, but it had been settled easily enough. 

“A body for her, a body for the troublemaker, and Coldsteel will keep his own,” Xanatos took another sip of his drink, admiring his own work. 

“It’s impressive, what you’ve been able to get done.”

“I’ve created so many new patents in the past month alone, Goliath we may be rich now but once I start licensing things out we will never want for anything,” Xanatos smiled, pleased with his work. 

“Why did you never take over the world?” Goliath chuckled.

“Too much work, I have what I want now. Money, family, and interesting family members who keep me on my toes. What more could a man want?” He snorted. 

“I can’t argue with you,” he shook his head.


	24. The Duality of Lovers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Testing season is coming to an end here and graduation season is about to begin so I’ve been a bit crunched for time in making the suggested edits people have been so kind to give me <3 I’ll start going through them and respond to peoples messages soon.
> 
> Thank you all for your help and support, it really means a lot to me <3

Elisa kicked off her shoes at her bedroom’s door and tossed her bag into the room. Her jacket was shucked off and she padded over to the bathroom. 

“Hey there bud,” Cagney greeted her. She had yet to fit him with a tracking chip so he was confined to her room, for the time being, though that was also good. He needed to know where the home base was in the castle and her room was it. “Have a good day? I did but man was it a lot of work,” she scratched him and patted his rump.

More clothes were shed as she made her way into her bathroom. It was elegant compared to the one she had before, Xanatos sure had some refined tastes. She started the water running in her claw-footed bath.

She deserved a bath after all of the research she had done for the proposal she and Bluestone had given Chavez. They had been out of their depth when it came to animal laws so they had also pulled in a few passing lawyers to explain a few things to them. To be honest it reminded her why she was a detective and not a lawyer, simply too many loops holes.

Though, one could argue the same about the laws she upheld.

She tugged her brush through her hair, glancing at the clock. The Gargoyles would soon be awake and she could share the good news with them, and they could finally get everything in motion getting over to Scotland. 

Chavez had approved her time off before she had even finished explaining where she was going and why which had been a carefully crafted lie she and Xanatos had crafted together. 

She had the next two weeks off and she that in a few days it would no longer be a true vacation. They needed to bring home members of the Clan.

Over the past week, she had also been helping the Trio and Angela with their sewing endeavors. Broadway had lost interest but was a willing model for the others, but to everyone's surprise, it was Brooklyn who had taken the most interest in not just modifying clothes but creating them. 

Fox had gotten her hands on some high-quality sewing machines and had also set up an automatic ordering system for them so they could buy what they wanted or needed and it would be delivered to the Tower in no time at all.

Brooklyn had also offered to design clothes for her and she was happy to accept. His designs were modern but had a Scottish twist to them that she knew he was taking inspiration from his own time. Fashion magazines littered the living room.

When she had brought up the amount of money being spent Fox had waved her off with, “consider this, if he wants to sell his designs and become a part of the fashion world he’ll need a human alias. Whatever money he spends will come back to us, don’t worry.”

It was unsettled to be surrounded by people who didn’t understand the concept of money. Xanatos had come from a place of relatively little but his fortune was one of the top in the world now. Fox had come from money and was used to it. The Gargoyles had never needed money and didn’t understand it’s inherent worth. They had never struggled to cover their own bills or pay for food.

Ignorance was bliss she figured. 

The bath was almost done filling so she made her way over to it, steam curling up and heating the rest of the room as well. Her mirrors didn’t fog though, Xanatos had put heating coils behind them. New technology apparently? It made sense though, none of the floors in the castle were cold despite them being made of solid stone. 

Xanatos had put quite a bit of thought into the restoration of the castle. 

Elisa hissed as she settled into the hot water, her body protesting and aching after the long day’s work. 

It had been a month since the Christmas party and three months since the initial interview. The courts were still arguing and she was sick of it. It was all political power plays at this point and had little to do with the actual Gargoyles. 

She tipped her head back and closed her eyes, letting the warmth of the tub fill her up and settle into her bones. February seemed to always be the coldest month every year and this year was no different. 

As always, there was still so much to do, but they weren’t alone. McBeth was behind them as were a number of other powerful individuals yet. It would be okay, they were making it work and they had gotten further than she had ever thought possible. 

There was a real possibility of a future with Goliath. Not that she expected humanity to accept her relationship with him, but there were so many stories of the beauty and beast trope that maybe the world would simply leave them alone. But to her, he wasn’t a beast. She hadn’t been lying when she said all she saw was the beauty of her friends. 

The sounds of talons on stone broke her out of her daydreaming. 

“Hey there,” she called to him, letting him know she was in the bathroom but he had probably guessed that already from the trail of clothing she had left behind. 

“Good evening, my Sunshine,” his head peeked around the corner and he smiled at her.

“Have a good rest? Any good dreams to report?” She shifted to wet her hair and worked some shampoo into it. There was no reason to be modest around him, he’d seen every inch of her as she’s seen every inch of him at this point.

“I did,” his face scrunched in thought, “it was odd,” he settled into the chair that was in front of the counter space.

“Tell me about it,” she scrubbed her hair. 

“I was alone but I could hear voices, but they were distant. Like trying to hear your neighbors through the wall.” She dunked her head under and brought it back up so she didn’t miss anything. “I had to keep a tiny flame lit, but I had nothing to burn. I searched the room and there was nothing but the fire itself spoke to me about how it was starving,” he shivered.

“This doesn’t sound like a good dream,” she sank back into the water.

“I woke up but the fire’s voice lingered for a little too long, maybe not a good dream but it was not a night terror,” he shrugged. “May I brush your hair?”

“Thought you’d never ask,” she crooned out and shifted so her hair hung over the edge of the bath.

Goliath scooted the chair over to her, armed with hairbrushes and combs. Ever since he had spoken to her mother his level of affection and attention had grown with her. He hadn’t been lying about how Gargoyles were single-minded in their affection, but it made sense. The love of their lives were their mates, and even though children were loved they were loved by all and it was a different kind of love. 

She didn’t mind being the focus of his world, if anything it filled her with a little bit of pride that someone so strong and caring wanted her and only her. 

Elisa couldn’t say the same with some of the humans she had previously dated. He dragged the brush through her hair, shaping and sculpting it as he saw fit. There was rarely a day when she left the castle without some of his handiwork on her crown.

Her coworkers had noticed and the number of compliments she received had nearly doubled over the last few days, some of the ladies had asked which salon she went to to get it done and she could only laugh. She explained it was a friend experimenting with new styles and she was his lucky choice. 

It wasn’t too far off from the truth that she would readily forget it, but it kept Goliath at arm’s length from the others. 

Goliath soothed her, the rhythmic tugging and pulling was nice, and she knew how much it meant to have him groom her. 

“How was your day?” He slipped a hand out of her hair to cup her jaw and rubbed her ear with his thumb.

She kissed his palm before starting, “glad you asked, I think we have a breakthrough. They cannot deny that you are animals on this Earth and therefore should be protected as such,” she hated that they had to go the animal route, “I hate it, but it’s the fastest way. We can focus on Gargoyle rights later, right now you need to be protected from poaching.”

She really didn’t like lending such animalistic terms to them but there were few other words in the English language that could describe what was currently happening. 

“That’s great, you’ve been working so hard,” he leaned in and kissed her forehead. 

It was nice to just be quietly intimate like this. Yes, she loved him in bed and all the things they had been trying together, but these tender moments were her favorite. He was surprisingly quick to take up modern ideas and fantasies, particularly those with lingerie involved. 

“Goliath?”

“Yes, Sunshine?” She liked the nickname he had given her. She had an idea as to why but she wanted to ask him about it later. 

“Do Gargoyles marry?” His hands didn’t pause but she could hear him thinking.

“No, we don’t. My kind has no need for metal bands. Instead, we pledge to live our lives together, as long as both are living and well. Then after one of them dies the other does not take a new mate,” a sadness entered his voice, one she was familiar with. 

Elisa knew why he was special, and she understood that it still hurt him in a way. Demona was his first love, someone from his own species that he had grown up with and cherished for more years than she had known him herself. 

She hummed, “that makes sense, the reason why I’m asking is because I was wondering if you’d marry me.” 

It felt a little awkward to her, to be proposing naked in a tub with her lover braiding her hair. The moment just felt right and she hoped she hadn’t made a mistake in letting the words slip out. 

That caused him to pause. She didn’t dare move and undo the work he had done in her hair, it felt particularly complex. He quickly tied off her hair and moved around to kneel at the edge of the tub to face her. 

“Would that be moving too quickly for you?” He grasped her hands, eyes searching hers. 

She laughed, “I was worried it would be too quick for you, but with all this talk of ‘mate for life’, it just sounds like a proposal to me. You’re saying I’m the only one for you, I should say it too,” she shrugged. 

“That, and if I have a ring it will tell the others that I am not on the market to find a partner and they’ll be more likely to leave me alone,” that and she wanted to have a symbolic piece of him wrapped around her finger to remind her of him when he was gone and couldn’t be reached in stone-sleep.

Elisa was a romantic, but she was also realistic. That seemed to catch his attention, “other suitors would leave you alone?”

“How do Gargoyles do it? Here if someone doesn’t have a ring most people assume they haven’t committed themselves to a single person,” now she was curious about how Gargoyles navigated that field, they were a species that had one and only mate, how did they display that status to others?

“We do it with braids and word of mouth, have you noticed that I’ve been doing variations of a specific kind of braid for you?” He asked her, one of his hands traveling to the back of her head to tug the thick braid over her shoulder. 

She had noticed it, but she hadn’t been able to figure out a reason why. 

“This style of braid tells the other Gargoyles that you are mated,” his voice dropped to a whisper. 

It made sense to her, “what of those who don’t have hair?”

“There are many ways to display it, with clothing or piercings, which in that case would be similar to your rings,” he leaned in and brushed his nose against her before giving her a quick kiss. “That and word of mouth, all are members of the same Clan and word travels fast.”

“So that’s how you guys do it, that’s interesting,” she reached and tugged his ear, smiling. 

“But humans do it differently, the rings become your symbol,” his talons worked gently through her fingers.

“It would also mean a lot to me,” she admitted, “we don’t need a ceremony, I’d rather not have one. I just want my family and our family involved. We don’t have to do it now or soon, just that I would like to. One day.” She smiled at him and he smiled back.

It would mean nothing in the eyes of the law, but she was okay with that. 

“Nothing would make me happier,” he murmured and leaned in for another kiss. This time a little more heated.

He pulled back and smiled again. 

“Now, help me out and help me get dried we need to tell the others the good news and get all of our stuff gathered, I’m sure we will be leaving in the next few days to head to Scotland,” she reached up so he could take her hands and pull her to her feet, “I also want to talk to my Brother about it and check in with him and Maggie.”

He picked her up bridal style and deposited her on the bench so he could find some towels to rub her down with. They were careful of her braid so that it would not unwind or become frazzled under their touch.

A quick change of clothes and she was ready to meet up with the others. 

The others were just as revealed at hearing the news, both Xanatos and Fox seemed far more at ease with their secondary proposal making more ground in one day than their initial one had in nearly three months. 

“Excellent news and I hear that Fox has convinced Dingo to fully help us out,” he handed Alex to Elisa as she reached for him. 

Claire was wrapped up in Brooklyn’s arms. He seemed more settled these days. Having a hobby and a hatchling to dote on had helped him with his mood issues. He had been sharper with the rest of them since the chapel incident. She could understand but it was nice to see the old Brooklyn coming back to the surface. 

“So we can get everything together, and go get him?” Broadway was resting on a couch, Angela close to his side. 

She smiled and winked at Elisa, they hadn’t had a chance to sit down and chat about their loves lives since the first time. She didn’t want to make it awkward for the girl considering who it was Elisa was involved with but she didn’t seem to mind. Maybe it was due to how Gargoyles were raised or because she mainly saw the Princess and Tom as her original parents.

“Yeah, we can. We can bring him home,” Goliath rumbled out. 

Elisa knew how tight-knit their Clans were but it was one thing to see it. They loved and adored Coldstone and all the souls within him, even the one that had tried to kill them. They were family and belonged in the home, back with the people who loved them most. 

It struck a chord in her, reminding her of her heritage and how her Mother and Father had respect for their ancestors, the living, the dead, and the long-gone included.

———————————————————

Elisa had gone to bed, it had been tempting to join her but there was a little more he needed to do personally before he ran out of moonlight. That, and she needed to rest. She had been tiring out easier and easier with each passing week and he was worried that her candle was burning out. 

Especially after all the extra work, she had been taking on. 

It was best she rested.

He took stock of Xanato’s Steel Clan like he had been taught to, making sure all had sufficient amounts of ammo and no potential malfunctions that could arise. It wasn’t a difficult job to undertake, it only was time-consuming.

Xanatos and Dingo had started a video chat when he and Elisa had peeled away. He had sensed her exhaustion as well as a little bit of blood so he concluded that her cycle was starting and thus putting more pressure on her. 

Unlike Gargoyles humans had a cycle of a month. The first time he had heard about it was hard to believe but he thought back he had scented the changes in her cycle without realizing what they were, to begin with. 

Elisa had also spoken to him personally after his reaction to undressing her only to find blood. It was then that she had gone a little more in-depth about the human cycle and how most humans who possessed a uterus could become pregnant for a small window each month if everything went well. 

It wasn’t the weirdest difference between their species and it meant little to him so they chose to simply ignore it when together. 

Goliath was jittery, they were so close to bringing home his Sister and Brothers. The needed to figure out what to do with the one Brother, clearly he could not be trusted but a Gargoyle in his circumstances also deserved a second chance. 

The sound of talons clicking on stone alerted him to one of his Clan approachings, he glanced over his shoulder and saw Angela approaching.

“Care to lend a hand?” He asked.

She smiled and nodded, “that’s one of the reasons why I came to find you.”

“And what’s the other?” He checked the ammo of another Steel Clan member while he asked. 

“Are you ready to face Demona again?” Her voice was soft as she questioned him. 

He hadn’t thought of it, to be honest, he did not regret his words the last time they had met, and there was little else he wanted to speak to Demona about. He had laid out a warning of if he would see her within the lands of the Clans he would handle her and they both knew how that would end, or at least he hoped she knew. 

“I have little left to say about her or to her. I regret the path in life she took, but from what I’ve been told she was desperate and fighting for her life. I cannot blame her for that, but I will hold her responsible for her actions,” he pulled away from the Steel Clan member to look to Angela, “her pain is no excuse for what she has done.”

“She’s the reason the Quarry Men formed,” Angela murmured.

“Yes, but she also was ready to sacrifice her life for yours. Do not forget that,” he took a deep breath. Angela had a lot of conflicting emotions about Demona and he could understand why. 

Gargoyle born but Human raised and it showed in how she treated Demona and himself. That and the gaps in her cultural knowledge but those could be fixed. Her need for parents could not be. 

“I know, I don’t hate her… I just…” she made a frustrated noise that did indeed remind himself of her. 

“It’s okay, you don’t have to explain yourself to me. We are both in the same boat, but I must protect Elisa from her. I don’t know what Demona will do upon seeing her again and that is what I am most afraid of,” he admitted to her. 

“Me too, the last time I felt so powerless,” he didn’t like how sad her voice was but he understood it. 

“Angela, there was little you could have done,” he turned to face her and extended a hand for her to take.

“I know but-“ 

“Nope,” he cut her off, “I’m asking you to help me this time, in case Demona decides that the world would be better without Elisa in it.”

She rubbed her nose and sniffled, “yeah, I can do that.”

“Thank you, that’s all I expect out of you. If you need more help or a shoulder to lean on please, we are here for you. Elisa too. She mentioned she’s worried for you when we do eventually run across Demona again.” 

Angela nodded, “I just, don’t know how to feel about her.”

Goliath understood completely. He too didn’t know what to make of Demona. Everything was deeply interconnected that there was no hope of unraveling it at this point and time. 

“Emotions are hard, complicated ones even more so. It’s okay to just leave it be, you know that right?” He gave her a sad smile. “It works for me when I don’t want to think of the past or Gargoyles I once loved,” his conversation with Diane came flooding back to him. 

Angela shifted her hand from his to rest on his shoulder, he almost snorted at the image of it because she had to get onto the tips of her claws to reach.

“We can talk about it if you want to?” She suggested.

“When did my children become so wise?” Between her and Brooklyn, the others as well, he was beginning to see the fine adults they were becoming. No longer adolescent but on the same ground and himself. 

She snorted and shoved him, “as Brooklyn’s said before, we have great parents and friends helping us along the way.”

Goliath closed his eyes and nodded, “one day I will tell you stories of your Clan. I am not ready just yet, I haven’t had time to process it,” that and he wasn’t willing to be so vulnerable about it. He wasn’t used to emotional support from anyone but Elisa and it was awkward to adjust.

“That’s okay,” she took a step back, her wings sweeping to cape around her shoulders. “I just want to know where I come from. The Princess and Tom were able to tell me some stories but I could tell that they had to make up some parts. I want to know about the rest of the Clan,” she paused, pursing her lips, “and I want to know more about Demona.”

“I will be able to do that one day as well, will you help me finish the preparations down here?” He asked her. 

“Of course, I came down here to help but we got a little sidetracked,” she laughed. 

It was nice to hear it, despite all that was happening there was still space for laughter.


	25. The Garden

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one hit a weird place with me so I’m sorry for the lateness 👏

She would forever be grateful for Xanatos’ crafts and their ability to cover half of the globe in a mere four hours. They stayed in the shadow of moonlight as they headed off towards McBeth’s location. 

Xanatos had taken care of everything and for that, she was also grateful. Her body felt heavier and heavier with each passing day. The stress from everything was mounting and despite her ‘vacation’ and forced time off by Chavez her energy wasn’t recuperating the way it should have been. 

Goliath also fretted about her like a giant hen. It was endearing but she also wanted to snap at him occasionally, she wasn’t some fragile doll that would break if someone looked at her the wrong way. 

Currently, he was going over their supply lists with Broadway. Xanatos had quite a collection of weapons and ammunition but the Gargoyles preferred to fight hand to hand, so instead, he had created various armors for them. It had been a project he had abandoned not long after Xanatos had awoken them. 

He had mentioned using them as guards to his castle as well as his ‘minions’ of sorts back then so she fully believed it. Xanatos had also been a little embarrassed showing off his work to them. 

Broadway nodded and turned away, his shoulders set in such a way that she knew he was anxious.

It had been a unanimous decision to leave Angela behind so she could watch over the Castle with Fox as well as keep Claire and the eggs safe while the rest of the Clan was off on their journey. 

Even though he had supported it, Broadway hadn’t liked it. 

Her eyes slide to Lex and Amp who were sitting side by side, their hand entwined is Le’s lap and Lex’s head resting on Amp’s arm. It was cute to see them so close and bonded. She saw all the similarities her and Golaith’s relationship had in the other two.

How Goliath treated her was the same as he would have treated her if she had been a Gargoyle and that thought gave her comfort and helped soothed her anger at him treated her like a breakable art piece. 

He snorted and shook his head, looking over the others. 

“Hey, Big Guy. Come ‘ere,” she smiled and extended her arms to him. 

Goliath gave her a defeated smile and padded over to her side, his tail swishing in annoyance but she knew it was directed at her. The way he held his wings told her everything she needed to know. 

She would have to thank Amp later for helping fill in the gaps of her knowledge that Angela had given her about wing-speech. It had proven useful in understanding more about her Clanmates and their fine-tuned ways of communication she had been missing out on previously. 

Goliath settled into the bench beside her, his arm coming to wrap around her waist and pulled her into his side so his wing could settle over her as usual. She liked how protected and trusted it made her feel. 

“Everything in order?” She asked him. 

He grunted and nodded, “as in order as it can be, tensions are high.”

“I noticed. Demona?” She rested her head on his chest and took stock of the rest. They all did seem a little more tense than usual, the air was thick with it and their wings spoke incredibly loudly as well. 

“Aye,” Hudson called out from across the way. “We don’t know what to do lass.”

“Do?” She turned her attention to him. 

“Yes, as is Clan law she is banished for life. But, we will not be meeting on Clan land, so we are at a loss as to what to do. We have no memory of such an occurrence and therefore have no moral compass to follow,” Goliath explained. 

She nodded, understanding the complexity of the situation before them. 

“That’s another reason why we did not take Angela with us, we don’t want to put her in a position where she would feel responsible,” Goliath added on. 

That also made sense, Angela still treated Demona as a member of her Clan. She reasoned that her Sister Clan on Avalon holds no such grudge or banishment on Demona and therefore she had a claim to her through Clan history. It was the one thing that she knew Goliath and Angela would never agree on and it was rarely spoken about.

Hudson nodded, “an we canna afford to upset our host. He has deemed her his guest and we must follow his lead.” The old Gargoyle also spoke the truth on that matter. She was a guest of McBeth and therefore no concern to them, she didn’t have to be involved in anything unless she wanted to. 

“Well, then that’s that. There’s nothing for you guys to do, best leave a sleeping dog lie,” she shrugged. 

“She is no dog, what do you mean?” Goliath questioned her, a hard edge to his voice. 

“No, she isn’t a dog. You remember when I taught you ‘burn out’?” She was used to explaining turns of phrases to him at this point, but this one might prove to be a little more difficult than usual. 

“Yes, just as a candle burns so do people. How does a person lie like a dog?” Goliath pulled back so he could look at her. Hudson also seemed intrigued. 

“It’s an old phrase I think, and I think the best way to describe it is that if a dog is sleeping, it is best to let it sleep rather than to wake it and cause problems,” she had to think back about all the times she’d used it. “It’s like instead of dealing with the problem at hand you just ignore it?” She questioned her answer but it felt right. 

Hudson nodded, “ah, yes. Then indeed it is best to leave this dog lie, for who knows who it will bite once it is awoken,” he chuckled at his wordplay. 

Even Goliath huffed at the joke.

“We shall be landing in 20, everyone ready?” Xanatos’ voice crackled over the radio. 

Everyone got into their positions and strapped down, the landing would be softer than a traditional craft but it was better to be safe than sorry. 

The seal of the craft hissed as it released and dropped down to form a ramp. Despite it being February the grass was still green and quite lush. Goliath held her hand tightly as they descended down and out.

McBeth greeted them with a nod. He had forgone his usual combat outfit and instead wore a pair of faded jeans, a dark turtle neck, and a simple long tread coat. It struck her as odd to see him in street clothes considering how many times they had battled over the past year. 

“Welcome to my estate, home away from home as I say,” He bowed and extended a hand for her. 

“Thank you for joining us,” Goliath rumbled, letting her go so she could take the hand offered.

“We do want to thank you, you have no reason to help us and for that, I want to thank you personally,” Xanatos called out from behind them, leading the rest out of the craft. 

McBeth shook his head, “it’s not ye who I’m doing this for.” He motioned for them to follow him up the path and into his house.

They had landed in the great garden of the courtyard. Its flowers were all starting to bloom and the grass was long and beautiful. It seemed like he had taken up gardening as a hobby in his free time Elisa wondered to herself. 

“Are you on break currently?” Xanatos questioned the man. 

McBeth had taken up New York University on their offer for him to become a professor of history. Who better to teach it than someone who had lived it, though no one would tell the university that. 

McBeth snorted, “I’m on break, that’s for sure. My political stance put me in hot water so I’m taking half a year as sabbatical and continuing my research into what happened after I left Moray.” She couldn’t place a finger on his tone but it was somewhere between pride and sadness. 

Xanatos shrugged, “well they better get used to that if they’ll want to keep you around.”

“Hah! They can’t replace me and they know it, I’m not worried. If anything I’m grateful to be away from all the noise and spend some time in my study, I’m sure you understand,” he spoke as he led them to the great hall of his castle. 

The layout was similar and yet so different from Castle Wyvern. He must have taken inspiration from it when he constructed it, that or it was an old castle that he had refurbished. Either way, it was quite beautiful. 

“I have plenty of rooms but as most of our guests won’t be needing them, you can fall into stone-sleep anywhere within this castle except the central tower. Those are my private quarters,” McBeth took a seat at the head of the table. “Now, we have some planning to do?”

“Indeed,” Xanatos pulled his bag up and set it on the table, Lex did the same. 

“We’ve got information on money transfers and recent deliveries of ‘packages’ that are heavier than most commercial shipments,” Lex explained as he pulled out a tablet for McBeth.

Everyone else took a seat around the great table, except Bronx who found the best place was to lay down beside Elisa’s chair. He had gotten incredibly protective of her over the past week and no one could make heads or tails out of it and instead chalked it up to the fact that Elisa spent so much time with Claire. 

The hatchling had truly settled down into her life in the castle despite its rocky start. She tempered everyone’s nerves simply by existing and she was also teaching Elisa so much about Gargoyle kind that she hadn’t even considered. 

Watching her fling herself fearlessly out of the trees and off of the castle walls never failed to stop her heart but one of the Clan was ready, almost instinctively, to catch her if her wings failed to open wide enough or if the wind direction was bad. They did so almost mindlessly, without much thought or concern. 

They had been worried about her reactions so she had explained how human babies learned to walk and how protective everyone one was of the baby during that critical time. One wrong fall and the child’s head was in danger.

Gargoyle hatchlings were not nearly as fragile as human children, that much she understood. It was the degree of fearlessness when comparing the two that she was still hung up on. But then again, why fear falling when you have wings? Why be afraid to play rough when it will be healed after a night’s rest? There were fundamental differences between the two species and she was starting to grasp them. 

She snapped back to the conversation as McBeth sucked on his teeth, “you’ve completed quite a bit of research, and so have it,” he stood up and went to the bookshelf on the far wall and pulled down a file holder as well as some free-floating manila envelopes.

Between his mind and their research, there was nothing they couldn’t do. 

“Here, I’ve made copies for you,” he handed them out. “These are reports of noise complaints from the highlanders in Kirkwall. They say that after a month or so of complaining about the sounds of an exotic animal ceased.” 

That was not the news she wanted to hear, and her blood chilled. Elisa could tell that the others were also feeling the same way by the stance of everyone’s wings around the room.

“But, I have intel on massive amounts of electricity being consumed in that area, an amount that was previously unheard of. Xanatos, when you designed Coldstone what was the way his body was powered?” He questioned the other man. 

“It’s a mixture of solar and electrical input, as the flesh parts of his being no longer turn to stone during the day,” he rubbed his chin. “So you’re telling me that he’s still alive despite the lack of noise.”

“It’s easy enough to silence someone, but there is no need for this amount of electricity to be consumed every month when I compare the amounts to months prior. When did he go missing?” McBeth turned to the others and questioned them.

“To be honest, we don’t know. We’ve been searching for him and trying to bring him back home but between the protests and the threat of the Quarry Men…” Broadway answered him. 

McBeth huffed, “well either way. We will need to do recon on the building, we can do that tomorrow night.”

Everyone nodded.

“We’ve got supplies to help out as well,” Lex dug around in his bag. “We’ve got night goggles and some wireless security cameras Xanatos and I designed together. We can set them up tomorrow.” Lexington puffed his chest up, proud of his work. 

McBeth also seemed pleased at their preparations, “what else have you brought?” He asked.

Xanatos responded, “we’ve got a number of Steel Clan members here as extra firepower just in case, I also brought my suit and have outfitted each Gargoyle with a set of armor each,” he nodded to each in turn. 

“Well, you did a better job than I was expecting,” McBeth leaned back in his chair and chuckled. “I want to address the elephant in the room before we continue. Demona.” 

Elisa felt Goliath tense beside her, Bronx also started growling low in his throat. She reached down to put a hand on him, hoping to steady and calm him down. It worked a little, but not as much as she would have liked as the full-throated growl diminished to a low rumble. 

Goliath also seemed to share his sentiments, though he kept it well hidden. 

“Aye lad, we know about the lass. You said as much yourself,” Hudson chose to front line for them and Elisa was grateful. 

“Are there any issues with her being here?” He folded his hands over his belly as he asked. 

“No,” Goliath spoke up. “No. My Clan and I have talked it over. Her banishment was from our lands only. Anywhere else is of no matter to us,” he reached for Elisa without looking for him, knowing that she could take his hand. “We have no ill will for her unless she’s been found on our lands.”

McBeth hummed, nodding. “I have asked her to stay out of sight and away until I was sure what your emotions were, I am glad there is no ill will.” 

“I also don’t…” Elisa didn’t know where she wanted to go with her words. She wanted to say that she didn’t hate her for having tossed her off a building. “I just want her to know she’s safe, even with us here.”

“I’ll be sure to tell her that, maybe not in those words,” McBeth snorted, “short fuse that one, makes Goliath look like a saint.”

“How long till sunrise?” Brooklyn asked.

McBeth glanced at the clock on the wall, “sun’s been rising around seven or so these days, so you’ve got little under two hours.”

“We should get settled in for the night,” Elisa patted Goliath’s hand while rising to her feet.

“Excellent idea,” Xanatos rolled his shoulders, cracking them and his neck. “I don’t know about you but I’m exhausted.”

“I could call it a night too,” Elisa thought it was odd that Xanatos would say out loud how tired he was. He was a crafty man, so maybe he was planning something? She couldn’t be too sure, she only knew that he was on their side so it would be to their benefit. 

“I won’t hold you any longer, please settle in,” McBeth made no move to get up from his seat so everyone else took their leave. 

“Walk the garden with me?” Elisa pulled into his side, wrapping her arms around one of his.

He let out a soft sigh, his body deflating. Some of the stress lines left his face as he gave her a small smile, “anything for you.”

She melted, ever since he had first said that to her in the garden of the Castle that specific phrase never failed to sooth the frayed edges of her being after a long day. Elisa knew he meant it when he said it, that he would do anything for her.

They turned into the main garden. Winter in Scotland was cold but not nearly as chilly as New York winters and it seemed that spring had come early as well. 

A few of the flowers were blooming and everything was a shade of green unseen in New York.

“It’s lovely,” she pulled closer to him, one hand moving to wrap his wings around her shoulders. 

“It’s beautiful, reminds me of home,” Goliath sighed. “Xanatos did a good job of recreating the castle, but the flora has been changed from what I knew it to have been,” he sounded neither sad nor upset but accepting of the fact of change. 

“It must have been strange,” she pulled tighter to him. 

He hummed his question, glancing down at her.

“To wake up and be somewhere so familiar and so foreign all at once. Like, you all knew the Castle. You grew up in it, it’s truly your home. But someone you did not knot changed it all, without thinking to ask you or check in with you,” though she couldn’t blame Xanatos. The Gargoyles hadn’t been awake at the time of the renovation. “I know he couldn’t have, but the first year… I can only imagine how hard it had been for you. I hadn’t thought of that until recently.” 

“I also have not had time to think of it. I and the others were reluctant to leave the Castle for the Clock Tower, simply as it had been our home. It felt wrong to leave home behind but we now understood why you were so insistent,” he chuckled. “But, it is good to be back home, where we belong. Do not mistake me, the Clock Tower was nice-“

“-but it wasn’t home,” she interrupted him. She knew the feeling, she could understand the Clan’s sentiment. 

“It wasn’t home,” he pulled her into his embrace, so her back was to his front. His chin rested on her shoulder. The garden was spread out around them and it felt picturesque. McBeth truly had a beautiful garden, whoever the Gardner was she wanted to compliment them. 

“Will you take me to bed?” She looked over her shoulder, unseating his chin, so she could wink at him.

“Of course, my love,” he scooped her up in his arms and turned back to the main body of the castle so they could find a bedroom for her.

——————————————— 

The castle was incredibly quiet when she woke up. Goliath had left her to join the others, but she knew he wasn’t far. He never was anymore. She threw back the covers and sat up, her toes slamming into something rock hard.

“Oh-“ she glanced down. Bronx had decided her bedside was where he would settle. She hadn’t even heard him transform for the night, had she fallen asleep that fast and hard?

She shook her head and made sure to step around him. Her pajamas kept her warm but there was still a chill in the air and she was thankful for the shawl Fox had packed for her last minute. The woman’s intuition was always on point. 

The castle was new and old all at once to her. It wasn’t hard to find the kitchen.

“Good morning,” she smiled at McBeth.

“Good Morning, Elisa,” he gripped his coffee mug close and blew on it. “Would you like lunch?” There was a twinkle in his eye. 

During their battles with him, she had come to respect him as a formidable enemy, but it was nice to see him mellowed out and enjoying life as he hadn’t for quite a while she believed. 

“Please, if you don’t mind,” she leaned against the counter as he slid out of his chair. 

The kitchen here was far more modest than the one at home, she liked the place’s rustic charm. Neither McBeth or Demona seemed to favor modern amenities, apart from weaponry.

“How did you get this castle?” She asked, trying to fill the silence with chatter.

He snorted, “It was mine once, a long time ago. I found the ruins of my old Castle and had it rebuilt. So if anything I am much like your Gargoyles, having gone back to where I best belong,” he didn’t look over his shoulder but she could feel the tension in the air thicken, it pained him.

“Goliath sounds like that too sometimes,” she murmured. “Like the walls will come alive with the history that was once there.”

He nodded, “yes, Goliath knows this feeling well.”

Elisa wanted to lighten the mood, “who takes care of your garden? Goliath and I visited it last night and it reminded him of the one that used to be in Wyvern Castle.”

McBeth glanced over his shoulder as he finished adding pasta to the boiling water, “I’m glad ye noticed, it’s actually been Demona’s pet project, something for the lass to focus on and work with.”

It surprised her, for someone so violent and destructive to find solace in plants.

“That’s amazing, I’m glad she’s found something,” she meant what she said. Demona had been hurt and hurt herself in turn, and if finding peace in a quiet garden is what it took to help her heal then it was for all the better.

“I’m glad you personally don’t hold ill will to her,” he stirred the pot and threw in some salt. “I won’t excuse her, I will never forget what she has done, but-“

“-it’s complicated.” Elisa cut him off, “you don’t have to explain her or yourself to me. We’re adults here. The last time I saw her I said things I don’t regret, and all I hope is that she understands that as well.”

He nodded, moving about the kitchen to pull supplies for his sauce.

“It isn’t my place to say, but your words hurt and helped her all the same,” he quietly admitted. 

The rest of the lunch was filled with mundane updates. She was curious about his time at college and how he had been able to get the job as well as hiding his own experience with this history that he taught.

She knew there were bits he was keeping hidden and she assumed it was due to her position as a cop so she didn’t mind. The less she knew the better.

After lunch had been eaten and cleaned up he retired to his study, giving her full permission to wander the grounds knowing that she would be safe. Elisa knew to stay away from the central tower as he had said before but she wanted to wander the gardens again and maybe figure out if she could get the flowers and plant life back home to make it more of a home to the Gargoyles she adored so much.

Her mind drifted as she moved around the pathway, she was neither here nor there but her mind was focused on the future, specifically her Brother and Maggie. 

Their child was doing well as far as anyone knew. In the week everyone prepared before leaving Manhattan, she had spent quite a bit of time with the pair. Maggie was thrilled to be having a child, having never imagined a future for herself that included loving someone the way she loved Derek. Derek had also never really thought about settling down with someone, but he was young. He had been so young when the mutation had taken hold. 

In a way, she grieved for the man he could have been while still being proud of the one that he was. It was one of the few places that she could not forgive Xanatos. He was a member of the Clan but she had her grudge against him. 

Elisa had never brought it up to Goliath, and if anything she wanted him to stay out of it. It wasn’t his business, even if he might think of it as his own. 

She wandered around the garden, soothed by the quiet but also unsettled by it. New York never slept and she wasn’t used to the lack of background noise.

“McBeth warned me that you would be walking my garden,” Elisa had almost forgotten how beautiful Demona was in her human form.

Unlike the last time Elisa had seen her, her hair was wild and unkempt with her golden crown piece being the only thing holding it back. She had also forgone the business clothes and her loincloth set for a more modern and simple loose gingham skirt and plain smock. 

“Hello Demona,” Elisa greeted her, trying to keep emotion out of her voice. 

She snorted, rolling her eyes, “what a way to greet the one who threw you from a building.”

“I’ve got plenty of ways to greet you, none that my host or husband would agree to,” a thrill of excitement coursed through her at voicing it out loud. He had accepted her proposal, after all, the ceremony just hadn't happened. 

Demona paused at that, “husband you say?”

It didn’t have the heat Elisa was expecting. 

“I would want nothing less for him, please,” Demona gave her a hard stare, “take care of him. Things are only going to get more difficult from here on out and he will need a rock, a place to call home when all else is lost.”

It was almost prophetic, the way she worded it and the intensity of how she carried herself. 

“What do you mean?” Elisa pulled the shawl tighter around her chest.

Demona leveled her with a look that both burned and chilled her. 

“I cannot speak of what the spirits say, I am now too close to them. I can only give warnings about secrets that are not mine to give, and Elisa there is danger coming your way. Where and from whom? I do not know. I cannot answer these questions. Goliath too has danger coming towards him and it’s not from Coldstone, or our siblings still left in limbo,” her voice cracked. Elisa knew she had played a part in bringing them back to life. “There is danger that will come from you. Please, when the time comes do what you must,” her eyes now simply burned her to her core. 

It was like the first layer of her skin had been peeled back and Demona had seen everything that would come to be and it left Elisa feeling naked and exposed. 

“I will do my best,” she steadied herself, “to protect and help him as much as I can, you have my word.”

“That’s all I ask,” she stepped forward to grasp Elisa’s hand. “Be to him what I cannot, please. I will never speak of this again but Elisa, please. For him,” her voice cracked at the end and Elisa saw a side of Demona she had never imagined possible.

The woman before her was shattered beyond belief, unable to keep a single form and it was something that she would never understand. 

Elisa put a hand over Demona’s that was gripping her tightly, “Demona. I promise. I know you have secrets you can’t share, but thank you for the warning.”

Demona nodded and pulled away, bringing her emotions back under control and hidden away. 

“That is all I ask,” she took a few steps back before nodding and turning her back on Elisa and disappearing into the garden.

If anything Elisa had gained more questions than answers with her walk through the garden.


	26. The Preparation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the love and comments, it takes me a little bit to get back to you all and I’m sorry <3 
> 
> Please enjoy~ let me know if anything weird is going on with my writing again!

“He’s in there, he had to be in there,” Amp paced back and forth in front of the hearth. Lex was sitting on top of the mantle, agreeing with him and also reaching out for him. 

Amp paused in his path to extend a hand for Lex to take a squeeze.

The other Gargoyle did not have much at stake in the raid, but he had woven himself so deeply into the daily lives of Goliath’s Clanmates that it was if he had always been one of them. Lex had chosen an excellent mate.

Goliath’s eyes tracked him for a few moments before shifting to glance around the room at everyone else. 

Elisa was wrapped up in a blanket, her eyes distant. She had been deep in thought since everyone had awoken the day before. Something had happened while they had been resting and she wasn’t ready to share with him.

Broadway and Brooklyn were discussing the entry points they had seen from a distance during their reconnaissance mission that they had just come back from. Some of the entrances were surely rigged with traps. They needed a safer way in and a clear path to take Coldstone back.

They had no idea the state he was in, or if he would be able to carry himself. Goliath wasn’t too worried, between him and Hudson the two could lift any member of the Clan easily; Coldstone included. 

Goliath moved to the side of his old mentor and past leader. Hudson’s hand rested heavily on his sword, his other hand combing through his beard in thought.

“They will have traps for us,” he spoke without looking towards Goliath. Instead, his eyes were placed firmly on McBeth. Demona had declined their invitation to join them for the night of scouting and plan making.

To be honest, Goliath was relieved that she had chosen to stay away. 

“Yes, they know of us, that much I am sure.” The Quarry Men had allowed them to capture one of their own for a reason, but that reason was still unknown. It had alerted them to the Manhattan Clan seeking out their lost Clanmate though. 

Hudson snorted, “do ye remember the time we took down part of an enemy encampment by sneakin’ through their wells?” There was a humorous glint in his good eye.

Goliath did remember that little stunt he and his brother had pulled off under the direction of Hudson. “Are you proposing we do that again?”

“It was a good plan,” Hudson nodded, his eyes shifted to Lex, “an’ we have the perfect Gargoyle with us.”

Lex had already proven to them time and time again that he could fit through the air ducts of the Castle as well as other various narrow spaces.

Goliath considered Hudson’s plan, adding on, “we could send him in, have him check out what’s going on and then either bring him back or have him wreak havoc inside the walls,” Goliath caped his wings and hummed.

“Exactly, I doubt they would see that comin’,” Hudson barked out a laugh. “It worked back then, why would now be any different. Tell Xanatos about it, see what he thinks,” with that Hudson pulled away from him and moved to sit beside Elisa.

Bronx was also glued to her side in a way he hadn’t seen in a very long time. He was treating her as if she were a Hatchling, despite having known her for a little over a year and a half. It puzzled him but Bronx couldn’t explain himself beyond whining and shifting back to her side when he was called away. 

Goliath padded up to Xanatos and McBeth, who were talking about various ways to cut power to the plant. 

“We can’t, what if Coldstone is relying on it to stay alive? We cut it and he’s gone,” Xanatos rubbed his nose ridge. 

“But if we don’t then how else can we get by their security?” McBeth’s accent had started to slip. Goliath had noticed it before when they had first arrived that it had been a little bit thicker than he had last remembered but it kept changing and switching as if McBeth himself had no control over it. He probably didn’t.

“If I may,” Goliath cut in, “Hudson reminded me of something I did as a younger Gargoyle to get into an encampment and it may still prove a useful tactic even now.” 

The two men focused their attention on him, “Pray, tell,” McBeth crossed his arms over his chest. Xanatos nodded along. 

“The camp had a tight patrol, very little chance for myself or others to slip past their barricades during moonlight hours. So instead of going in head-on, we were able to use tunnels of old water channels that had long dried up to make our way into the camp’s well. We were incredibly lucky but it gave us the upper hand we needed to drive away from the outsiders,” he shifted his weight from one foot to the other, his tail twitching behind him. “Lex has proven to us at home that he is more than capable of accomplishing the same feat, just in air ducts.”

The group all shifted to look at Lex. He and Amp had moved from the hearth to sit in one of the overstuffed leather chairs that were scattered around the room. Lex was settled on Amp’s shoulder and back, running his claws through the other’s fur.

“We can give it a shot,” Xanatos planted his hands on the table behind them, various notes and information about what they had observed were scattered around. He pulled one piece of paper out from another, “here, we found a wastewater drain which should lead back into the central water system,” he handed the paper over to McBeth.

The other man pulled out a pair of glasses and set them gently on his nose, “this could be our way in,” he pointed out the entrance to Goliath.

“Tomorrow, let’s see how close we can get and if Lex can fit,” Goliath took the piece of paper gently between the tips of his claws. “First, I will ask him if he is willing.”

Both Xanatos and McBeth nodded before turning back to the scattered papers and pulling out more information on the waterways.

If Lexington could manage to get into the central control system after getting into the building it would be an easy matter to locate Coldstone and find the perfect exit. Lex would be able to control the whole building, but only if they had everything centralized.

“Lex?” He motioned for the younger Gargoyle to join him. 

He let go of Amp and padded over on all fours before sitting back on his haunches, Goliath extended a hand for him to grab and he was lifted so he could settle on Goliath’s back. 

“We’ve found a possible point of entry,” he pointed to the waterway. “Would you be willing to climb in and get us more information for us?” Goliath asked. 

“Of course, I have a few gadgets I can take with me, I figured something like this would happen,” he let out a small snort, “don’t worry about me.”

Goliath let the younger Gargoyle down, crouching down before him so he could cup the back of his head. “Thank you,” he smiled and his wings flicked back.

He could feel Lex warming up in embarrassment, “Don’t embarrass me,” he hissed and wiggled away so he could get back to Amp. The other Gargoyle let out a soft laugh as Lex scrambled and climbed up his body back to his usual perch on Amp’s shoulder. 

Goliath glanced over his shoulders, both Xanatos and McBeth were looking his way. He nodded and they understood, turning back to the table to prepare possible routes and get as much knowledge together for Lex for his mission the next day. 

With that settled he found himself drawn to his mate’s side. He hated being out of arm's reach of her and the time she had taken off of work for the mission soothed him. Goliath knew she had to go to work each day, had to put herself in danger’s way with no way for him to help or support her, and it ripped him apart little by little each time they had to say ‘goodnight’.

He also did not want her to burn out. Humans lived by daylight, his kind by moonlight, and he knew that her staying up to be with them had put a lot of stress on her body. Goliath could see it in the bags under her eyes and how she carried herself a little differently. 

Gods how he wanted her, but he was afraid to ask too much of her. A night’s sleep did not heal her the same as his kind. 

Her scent had also shifted and it worried him. 

They only had to get Coldstone back home and then everything would be a little bit easier. 

“Hey there,” she smiled at him as he drew closer. “Hudson was updating me on the idea of Lex being the one to get us in, gotta say it sounds like something straight out of a movie.” He loved the sound of her laughter, he wished he could bottle it up and keep it forever.

“You wouldn't believe it, but this lad here was one of the best scouts before he got too big,” Hudson waved a hand at him. “Was sharp and quick, his dark color also useful.”

Elisa lifted an eyebrow and looked him over, “really? He was small once?” She covered her mouth as she laughed.

Goliath huffed and crossed his arms before he could start Hudson cut him off once again. “The wings on the lad were far too large, he only grew into them in his later years before he became the leader of the Clan,” Hudson laughed.

It was good to see the older Gargoyle enjoying himself. Things had been tense at the Castle but the closer they got to freeing Coldstone, the more everything would go back to a semblance of normalcy. 

Elisa wiped a few tears from her eyes, still chuckling, “so does that mean Claire will go through a phase like that too?”

Goliath settled with his back against the couch, his wings caped and his tail tucked. It gave Elisa free access to his locks which almost immediately he could feel her fingers dig in and start braiding.

“She might, but feathered wings are a little different to our more bat-like style. She is capable of actual flight, not gliding as the rest of the Clan is.” She would be like Griff, able to soar through the night sky freely. They needed to make sure she was taught about responsibility and the danger of going where they could not follow before she reached that stage in her growth. 

“Woulda liked to see it though,” she tugged and pulled his hair, marking him as her own and it sent thrills through his body. 

He had done some research, on his own, about the process of human weddings and how they are traditionally handled. Goliath was planning on asking Elisa’s Mother and Father for the right to her hand, as all the books had advised him to do. 

They could not join legally, but if giving her a metal band meant as much as it seemed to other humans he was more than glad to do it for her. It also meant that in the eyes of other people she would be ‘taken’ and they would leave her alone. That was another reason to give it to her, what harm could come from a little metal ring?

Goliath faded away into a daydream of them not having to worry about what other people thought of the two of them together. That was a dream that he wanted to follow through with but they might not be able to, the law was slow-moving and acting. Gargoyles still technically didn’t exist. It frustrated Elisa to no end. 

It was the point of the Gargoyle Task Force after all, and they had done their job. They were keeping an eye on the Gargoyles, reporting in about any possible activities, but everyone stayed in the Castle instead of venturing out. He could tell his Clanmates were getting restless with their confinement, but there was little else that could be done. 

People might try and take the law into their own hands, and cause more harm than good. The Quarry Men had proven that to be true.

——————————————————————-

Elisa drifted around the garden. She had borrowed a tablet from Lex and a notepad from McBeth so she could look up and write down the types of flora. Xanatos would be able to get ahold of them and he had seemed keen about it when she had mentioned it to him over breakfast. 

It would be a nice touch and a perfect gift to her Clanmates. Over the past few days, she had noticed a change in her ways of thought. It wasn’t a ‘family’, it was a ‘Clan’ and she had said it aloud a few times as well when speaking to McBeth. He had raised an eyebrow at her but hadn’t commented further. 

She wondered how long it would take for her to refer to Claire as her daughter as she continued down the stone path. 

Demona had quite a green thumb as well, everything was orderly and clean but still held it true to its wild nature. It impressed her that someone could balance nature and stone so beautiful while having such a violent and angry past. 

It made sense thinking about it, McBeth had told them it was therapy for her in a way. Maybe it was making a difference for Demona? Their meeting yesterday had unbalanced her a little bit, Goliath had noticed it but hadn’t said anything and for that she was glad. She couldn’t explain the warning that had been given to her. 

Demona’s touch had been a strange place between warm and cold, friendly and violent, and the kindness she had shown Elisa was hard to process. It left her head spinning. 

She knew that there was the possibility of danger coming into their lives, it had been a constant companion since they had come into her life. Yes, working as a detective in New York was an incredibly dangerous career. 

In the past year and a half, she had almost died more times than she could count. 

Broadway had almost done her in with her gun. 

She shook herself out of that memory. It was no use dwelling on the past.

Elisa jotted down more of the plants and took notes of which were placed by which, as they might affect how they grew. 

“Good afternoon,” Demona peered out from behind one of the bushes.

Today her outfit was fitted dark jeans and a heavy cable knit sweater. Her hair still pulled back with her crown piece holding it back.

“Have ye come for more wisdom,” she shook a trowel at Elisa. “Because I have none today and I want to be left alone.” Demona turned her back on Elisa and went back to working the earth. “I live here and I shall not cower in the shadows from you.”

Elisa took a step back. It was odd to see Demona being domestic, getting down into the dirt and looking so very human. She was also the least angry Elisa had ever seen.

Her face was the same as her Gargoyle one, just missing the sharp teeth, pointed ears, and the eyebrow ridges. Elisa could see what Goliath saw in her, how beautiful she was, and how strong she was. 

Before everything had come crashing down in their lives it had been perfect. 

“I didn’t mean to do it,” Elisa whispered.

“I don’t care,” Demona snapped back. “I care little of your wants and regrets. Keep them to yourself.” She patted the dirt around the base of one of the bushes, keeping her eyes away from Elisa.

Elisa snapped her mouth shut before the next sentence could tumble out. She turned away and started down the path.

“I know,” Demona deadpanned, when Elisa turned to check and see if the woman was looking at her or not, she hadn’t even turned around to acknowledge her statement.

Elisa pursed her lips, her forehead lined with confusion. 

She made her way down the path, mulling over yesterday and today’s Demona and the whiplash of it was getting to her. Demona had been the enemy for so long, had been against everything that the Manhattan Clan stood for. 

Demona had tried to kill her by tossing her from the tower. 

Goliath was also unsettled by Demona’s presence in the castle and she didn’t blame him. Things had been finished between them for a long time but she knew he carried the guilt of finding a new lover, but so was Demona. She had taken Thailog and then McBeth, though she wondered if the marriage between Demona and McBeth still existed. 

They needed to get Coldstone and go home, get away from the conflicting emotions and past flames. 

She made her way back into the castle, seeking out the other members of her Clan. They would be deep in stone-sleep and unable to do much to soothe her frayed emotions but just being around them would soothe her. 

Elisa made her way up the stairs and onto the outside of the castle wall. It was a beautiful day, and she could feel spring in the air. 

They had all chosen different poses to strike. Amp was crouched behind Lex, his wings blown wide and casting shadows over Lex’s snarling form. Brooklyn and Broadway were mirroring each other and it was almost humorous. Angela had stayed behind to protect Claire and their Castle and it was easy to see that he missed her. 

Broadway would reach out as if to grab her hand and show her something but she wasn’t there. More than a few times he had started saying her name only to stop himself mid-word to shake himself out of it. It had been less than 48 hours and it showed her the depth of their connection to her. 

Goliath hadn’t been lying when he said that a Gargoyle’s mate became the center of their world.

Hudson was apart from the rest, his eyes trained on where the moon would rise. He was tired and it was easy to see that journeying was taking its toll on him. 

Goliath was in his ‘thinking’ pose, the one she liked the most. He had taken to quieter poses lately, and she appreciated the art he made. If she were a painter he would make a perfect centerpiece. 

She wrapped her shawl tighter around her shoulders and drifted over to his side. Elisa leaned into his shoulder, propping her arm on it, and her cheek rested against the crown of his head. The braids that she had put in the night before stood out in stark contrast against the rest of his hair. 

This was the worst part of loving him, knowing that he was there but he wasn’t.

Elisa thought back to the time where she had defended him through the day while the agents had tried to take him away or shatter him for all she knew. 

“I’ll protect you just as you protect me,” she pressed her lips into his temple.


	27. The Labs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man I love a good 90's villain :3
> 
> Thank you for all the compliments, kudos, emojis, and bookmarks it really makes my day to see them <3
> 
> We are nearing on 2,000 readers and it really warms me up to know that there are people out there who remember Gargoyles as fondly as I do and want to consume media about it still. There's a lack of Gargoyles fanart in my life so if you know anyone that is still making it please let me know! I'd like to follow them if possible!
> 
> ALSO I would like to add, that in the cartoon/comics timeline Thaliog loses the Clones when he 'dies' in the fire on Coney Island (chartoon) and then tries to take them back (comic), only Brentwood follows him again. 
> 
> In my story, Thailog clearly survived the fire on Coney Island but the clones had already chosen to leave Thailog. Brentwood was the only one who continued to stay with him, as he was 'smart'. 
> 
> I'm sorry if that causes any confusion but I hadn't thought about the clones until this chapter and personally I feel a little foolish... considering how large a part they are going to play now. 
> 
> Anywho! Thank you <3

He watched as Lex slipped beyond their sight and into the waterway. Xanatos had given them all trackers and Goliath’s eyes followed Lex’s small green blip on the screen carefully.

They had a general idea of the layout of the tunnels, McBeth had worked a little of his magic and had produced fire exit information on the buildings that had included some of the internal waterways and air ducts. 

The group was situated a ways away from the compound, there was nowhere to hide close to it and it was only thanks to the cover of the night that they were able to get anywhere near to the building. 

Elisa pulled closer to him, her eyes also trained on Lex’s mark on the screen.

“He’ll be okay,” she whispered to him. Goliath nodded and hoped that she was right. 

Being around McBeth and Demona had unsettled both Elisa and himself and he wanted nothing more than to take Coldstone back and go running to the Castle back home. He didn’t want to confront the ghosts of the past that were still walking around. There was nothing to say to Demona, and he was sure she had nothing to say to him and it felt like a limb had been wrenched from his body. 

Elisa had been more than understanding, soothing him without him having to say he was upset. She understood that he would speak about it when he was ready and she was willing to wait. 

He pulled her tighter to his side, he liked the way her body gave into his despite the armor that wrapped around his chest and upper arms. He also had pieces that were attached to his upper thighs and sections of his calves. Xanatos had fitted every member of the Clan with his lightweight armor, saying it was bulletproof but not blunt force trauma proof.

After Elisa had explained to him what it meant he felt safer knowing that his Clan wouldn’t be in immediate danger if guns were to be pulled during the fight. Every member was well versed in hand to hand combat, so if anything it gave them a slight advantage.

Lex’s voice crackled to life over the communication line, “okay guys, safely in. I found an exit and I’m in a water closet of some kind,” his voice was soft but steady. “I’m going to find an air duct entrance, out.” The line fizzled out.

“He’s got this,” Amp whispered behind them. He was huddled with the remainders of the Trio and Hudson around another tablet. 

Xanatos and McBeth weren’t too far away from the group, he could hear them talking in hushed tones. Xanatos had scattered the Steel Clan over the area as soon as the sun had set so that they would be ready at a moment's notice. 

It didn’t take long for Lex to contact them again, “guys I got a bad feeling. This place doesn’t sound like there’s anyone inside it. There are a few guards posted outside but…” the line fizzled and crackled a bit, “I haven’t seen anyone else.” 

Goliath didn’t like the sound of that, Xanatos whipped to face them.

Xanatos asked into his mic, “no living beings, correct?”

“Yeah, I can’t hear any sounds of life,” Lex answered.

“We knew that they might have set traps for us, but we still don’t know what kind,” Elisa murmured from his side. 

“But if it’s enough for them to evacuate the building…” McBeth also joined them, crossing his arms over his chest. 

“I say we storm the place,” Brooklyn stepped away from the group. “We aren’t spies, they know we are here, and we are stronger than them,” he kept his voice low but there was heated anger behind it. 

Brooklyn had much to learn, but the rash side of Goliath agreed with him. He was tired of playing games with the Quarry Men, he had been denied every act of revenge he could have taken against them and it would be satisfying to knock down one of their outposts. 

“Lad, we don’t know the weapons they have,” Hudson shook his head while he countered the younger, rasher, Gargoyle. “We canna put ourselves in danger like that, it’s too risky.”

Broadway chimed in, “we don’t want anyone getting hurt.”

“Well, what if they are hurting Coldstone? What if he’s dead? The facility is abandoned except for a few guards on the outside. Why can’t we take them out and go in ourselves?” Brooklyn flared his wings and his tail lashed behind him. 

Goliath understood his child’s anger, it was his own as well.

“How many guards are posted?” Goliath asked Xanatos. 

“We counted five last night and tonight it’s the same amount, and there appears to be a guard change around midnight,” the man raised his eyebrow, seemingly curious as to where Goliath wanted to go.

“Can you ask the Steel Clan to take them out, we can’t drag this out any longer. Coldstone is possibly in front of us-“

“-I’ve found him,” Lex’s voice sounded through their communications line. “He’s here. He isn’t moving but he’s here.”

“Coldstone is right in front of us and in danger, we cannot afford any more time.” Goliath leveled a look at Xanatos. 

“Sure thing, let’s see where this goes,” Xanatos shook his head and clicked a button in his pocket. 

In the distance, the fires of the Steel Clan’s rockets lit up and moved in on the building. 

Goliath and the rest set out on foot as there was no wind strong enough that could lift his Clan off the ground. Elisa was swung up onto Goliath’s back, Xanatos had taken his place on Bronx’s back, and McBeth was able to keep pace. It didn’t surprise him, it simply reminded him how formidable the man was. 

By the time they got to the compound, the guards were all tied up, including the midnight replacements. 

“We should form groups, one group to go in and find Coldstone and Lex, one group to guard the entrance and one group to get information out of the guards,” he set Elisa down and looked to each member. 

“Xanatos, Brooklyn, and I will go after Coldstone and Lex. Amp and Hudson guard our backs. Broadway, Eliza, and McBeth, if you could get any information out of these men it may prove useful in future encounters with the Quarry Men,” it had been a long time since Goliath had taken an active role in ordering his Clanmates around, there was little reason for it in New York and it brought back a rush of memories that he had to snuff out. 

Each nodded, knowing better than to argue with him and his decisions. What the Clan Leader decided was considered law depending on the situation. 

“Lex?” He called out over the intercom to the other Gargoyle. “Is there a way you can open the door and take care of security cameras?”

The door creaked open and everyone tensed slightly under Lex’s head peeked out, “already done, you were a bit slow in asking so I took care of it already. There’s no one in the building, so I checked the footage. Follow me.”

Goliath nodded to Brooklyn and Xanatos before shifting to all fours and following after him. 

His talons clicked against the tile and his tail helped to keep him balanced as they took tighter and tighter turns the deeper they made it into the building. 

The room that held Coldstone was close to the center of the building he felt, but he couldn’t be sure. From a tactical point, it made the most sense but there were other more important things to think about.

“It’s this room,” Lex came to a halt before a heavy metal door. 

Brooklyn and Xanatos were quick behind him.

“Hmm, unlocked?” Xanatos asked Lex. 

“I tried but it’s been removed from the mainframe of the control room I found, so maybe it had its own special one. I didn’t have time to find it but I can start snooping around,” Lex settled onto his haunches. 

“No need,” Goliath rumbled, sinking his talons into the heavy metal. It was satisfying to feel the full power of his strength against something that gave him some resistance. Usually, it was the side of buildings as he hauled himself and Elisa up far enough that they could catch a gale home. 

He grunted and lifted the door while pulling, hoping that he could lift it off its hinges. They were on the side of the door so he couldn’t see them to tell. With a heavy groan and the sound of metal bending against its will he opened it far enough that Lex would be able to slip through. 

“What kind of hinges?” Goliath huffed out. 

“Lift it just a bit higher and tug hard,” Lex pulled back and away from the small opening. 

Goliath did as Lex advised and the door lifted away from its hinges and he was able to throw it down the hall and away from them. 

Xanatos whistled, “I knew your kind was strong, but that door is bear-proof,” he chuckled. 

Goliath snorted at that and made his way into the room. It was decently lit and he could see Coldstone’s form suspended from the ceiling by ropes and cords that were plugged into various ports on his body. 

“We have to be careful,” Xanatos approached the body, “some of these cords are hooked up into his central nervous system and if we aren’t gentle we could kill him.”

That’s if he wasn’t already dead but Goliath did not want to voice that opinion out loud. 

Xanatos had been half of the team that had brought Coldstone back to life, he knew what each port meant and their level of importance. It was the reason Goliath had chosen him.

“Can you tell what’s been done to him?” Goliath almost didn’t want to hear the answer. 

Xanatos hummed to himself while he gently looked over Coldstone, who had yet to react to their presence. 

“He’s still alive, but-“ his fingers paused as they reached the base of Coldstone’s tail, “-they’ve taken a large chunk of his internal wiring out. They were trying to separate the three personalities.” Xanatos’ face creased in worry, “they did it in a way I thought possible but had taken it off the table due to how painful it would have been.”

“McBeth said that there were reports of noise complaints,” Lex gently rested a hand on Coldstone’s foot.

“And now we know why, I don’t know how many or if any of the personalities remain. If we get him back to my shop and hook him up to the generators there’s hope we can save him, or what’s left of him. This body cannot support sustained life anymore.” Xanatos pulled back and shook his head, “help me get him down.”

It was quick work unplugging everything and removing the restraints. Coldstone’s body wasn’t as heavy as Goliath remembered, he alone was able to carry it with ease. 

“Let’s hope they got something out of the guards, maybe we can get some answers,” Lex shifted to take the lead position as they made their way back to the main group. 

“Let’s hope,” Goliath nodded and shifted Coldstone’s weight to rest comfortably in the fireman’s hold he had his Brother in.

—————————————————————— 

Elisa had McBeth and Broadway help her separate the guards so that they couldn’t share details. Her training as a detective kicked into full force as she started taking names, information, and other vital bits that would allow them to identify the members and possibly look for connecting features.

Bronx was glued to her side as she moved around the individuals, snarling and snapping at any that shifted in the slightest. 

“Hey boy, it’s okay,” she patted his head, “They can’t hurt me.”

McBeth pulled one of the people up to her, “let’s start with this one, he’s the youngest of the bunch and has the least to lose.”

She nodded, “hello,” she checked her notes, “Brian. I can’t say it’s a pleasure to meet you, but you probably feel the same. This isn’t on the N.Y.P.D books so I don’t have a lawyer to offer you for counsel. I only want an answer to one question, is that alright?” It seemed to soothe the young man that it wasn’t an official investigation. She didn’t have the authority or connections to pull off a feat like that. “I want to know why you joined the Quarry Men.”

He seemed taken aback, if the shock on his face wasn’t apparent enough, that she would ask him that instead of anything related to Coldstone. 

No, she would save that question for the people who most likely had an answer.

“I saw Jon’s videos online, talking about the monsters and how it was right of us to be scared of them and want them gone,” he mumbled, glancing at Broadway. “I was never hurt by any of them but it felt nice, to be seen. To be told it was okay to be scared and that my reactions were normal.”

Elisa nodded, noting is down. “Thank you, that’s all.”

McBeth hauled the boy away and set him off to the side. Next was a woman around the same age as Elisa.

“Hello,” she once again glanced at her notes, “Evalin. Before we begin I want you to know that this is not an official questioning, I do not have access to a lawyer for you, and I have no way to check if how you answer is true or not,” Elisa looked her dead in the eye, making sure she understood what Elisa was saying.

“I’m going to ask you a few questions and you can choose to answer them or not, I leave that up to you.” The woman nodded, “why did you join the Quarry Men?”

Evalin mulled her answer for a moment before answering, “I was scared, scared that they would hurt us. People were coming forward and talking about how they had been cornered and attacked,” she shifted uneasily, her eyes flicking between Bronx and Broadway. 

“Don’t worry about my partners, they are only a danger to you if you are a danger to me,” she reached down and rubbed Bronx’s ear and he rumbled, leaning against her. 

Evalin’s eyes tracked him, “is he your pet?”

“He’s our friend and family,” Broadway answered quietly.

“My next question,” Elisa continued without looking back at Broadway, “do you know what they were doing with Coldstone?” She decided to take a more empathetic approach. Evalin seemed more relaxed with her. 

Evalin shifted from foot to foot again, “I wasn’t part of the team that was inside the building. They didn’t talk about it much to us, just that the Boss and his Friend needed it completed as fast as possible.”

“Thank you, you’ve helped us more than you know,” she gave the woman a kind smile before McBeth took her back to the others.

She continued her line of questioning until all ten individuals had been interviewed and all the information gathered. Elisa was flipping through her notes when Goliath and the rest returned with Coldstone thrown over his shoulders.

Her gut dropped to her knees. They knew there was a risk that something terrible had happened, but they hadn’t planned for an outcome like this one.

Elisa took a deep breath and started walking towards him, they were running out of moonlight and needed to get back to the castle. She knew Goliath and Xanatos had already put a plan in place to the best of their ability.

There was a strange whistling that filled the air and then suddenly the ground was being pulled out from under her feet and a scream was caught in her throat.

Bronx snarled and howled as he tried to jump up and grab hold of her with his mouth, but he missed. She was too high in the air already. She almost couldn't bear to call out to Goliath, knowing that there was little he could do to help her. The last thing she saw before she got too high to make out details was Goliath’s shattered expression.

Her instincts were to grasp at the being that had scooped her up. Elisa’s mind was racing as to who could have grabbed her and none of them were good. She kept herself from screaming and instead let out a sharp gasp while she kept herself from panicking.

She needed to ground herself.

The person holding her was human-shaped and sized, and that they were flying. The ground was whizzing by under them so it wasn’t Thailog, but that didn’t cross out the Quarry Men. Their arms were wrapped around her waist, one of her hands had automatically gone to support the grip to help prevent her from falling. The other hand had reached above her shoulder to grip into the person’s shirt.

Elisa was uncomfortable in the positioning she was in, whoever had nabbed her wasn’t used to flying with a partner. She was spoiled. Having been carried around by her Clan and not manhandled.

Her heart was in her throat as panic was beginning to set in again. 

Goliath would find her. One way or another. He would rip the earth and sky apart to find her because she knew she would do the same. 

She was almost grateful when they started losing altitude. The sun was rising but the air was still winter cold and she hadn’t dressed for flight. 

They were coming up on another building, one that they had not known about so that wasn’t looking promising. McBeth would be able to figure something out, he was resourceful and Xanatos wouldn’t let her stay missing for too long. 

The sun peeked over the horizon as they touched down on the landing pad. It took every ounce of control in her body to not rip away from her assailant and pull her gun on him. Her blood was boiling now that the initial panic had subsided.

“Welcome,” a voice too familiar called out to her. Thailog stood before her under the bright rays of the sun. “Beautiful day, care to join me inside,” the face she loved dearly was carved into a cruel grin. He wore a fitted suit instead of the battle armor she had last seen him in.

Her mind started racing. How was he standing before her in the sunshine and not deep in stone sleep as the rest of her Clan was? It wasn’t possible, he was a Gargoyle just the same as them. He was the same flesh, blood, and bone as Goliath.

She squinted at him before crossing her arms over her chest and popping her hip. “All right wise guy games up. This is an android and you’re a statue around here,” she spun in place and took stock of her situation.

Five guards, all armed, and the paratrooper guy who had swooped in and kidnapped her. 

“I see you thinking and I would recommend you not, here. Proof.” He extended a hand to one of the guards who handed over a short army style knife. The blade cut his skin cleanly and blood dripped from the wound. “What robot bleeds?” He raised a ridged eyebrow towards her. 

Ice flooded her system and her breath caught in her throat. 

He was the spitting image of Goliath but he had none of the kindness or grace that she was so accustomed to. He was everything good, but the twisted and burned aftermath of it.

She did not take the hand he extended to her, the bleeding one held behind his back.

Thailog smirked and nodded, taking his hand back, “understandable and respectable for a woman in your position, please, follow me.” 

He led her to the stairwell down a level into a floor that held walkways to look down at the ground floor. Several vats that were terribly familiar lined one of the walls. They looked all too similar to the ones Dr. Sevarious had used.

She didn’t let her emotions slip and show, she couldn’t afford to. Thailog had once tried to kill Xanatos, Goliath, and Sevarious so any sign of weakness would put her at risk. He was more dangerous than Xanatos had ever been.

“Like what you see? It’s my pet project,” he purred while leaning over the fence of the catwalk to look down at his own little kingdom. 

“What do you want with me?” She put her hands on her hips again, keeping her front up.

“Is it bad that I want to talk to the one who loves my Father so?” He spat out the word ‘father’ like venom. “When I made Delilah I used the DNA of you and Demona, my Father’s two great loves to see if I could find something in them. Surprise, surprise, I could not.” He raised an eyebrow at her. “I know there is no way you could love me, but what if I grew a new you? One that has no DNA base with Demona but instead a clean, new set of Gargoyle DNA?” He rolled to lean heavily against the railing, his wings dangling in the open air behind him.

He was manipulating the Gargoyle DNA. That was how he was able to stand in the sunshine. How had he managed to manipulate his own?

“I see the cogs turning, do you have questions for me?” He crooned and it sent shivers down her spine. 

“Why are you not stone right now?” She glanced around the room, trying to take stock of how many vats he had, how many people were bustling about, and the number of guards posted. She couldn’t wait for her knights in shining armor to arrive and save her. 

“Excellent question,” he clapped his hands, in the same manner, Xanatos had done before and the world tilted for a moment. He truly was a piece of them both. “I made a new me. It was easy considering the resources at my disposal. With Sevarius working for me now it was quite easy to get him introduced in creating a better species of Gargoyle, one better than any man. Our only weakness is the stone slumber we fall into during the day.” He smirked.

“Tell me, have you ever seen a man win against a Gargoyle in hand to hand combat? Can a man save himself from falling great distances or travel through the air under their own power?” He kept rambling on, caught up in his dangerous schemes. 

That’s why he had joined up with Jon. He too wanted the Gargoyles gone so his own species could take their place. He wanted to start from the ground up and appear as a God to his fellows. 

The wheels in her head came to a screeching halt as her eyes caught the small pin that was on the lapel of his shirt. It was the same as the one Bluestone had shown her. 

“Oh, so you’ve noticed?” He smirked, “just a little something I got for joining an exclusive club.” He laughed and turned back to the floor below them. “Beautiful isn’t it? I removed all the things that made us weak and vulnerable. Brentwood, come here and see Elisa,” he called down to the floor below. 

He looked nothing like Lex but at the same time had the same body and face as her friend and Clanmate. It hurt to look at him for too long. She didn’t usually mind the clones, nor did she fault them for their creation. They had no choice in the matter, but Brentwood had chosen to stay with Thailog while the rest wanted to be left alone in the Labyrinth. They had requested no contact, Delilah specifically saying everyone needed to become their being, and that she was afraid of how humans would see them considering their already negative view of ‘natural’ Gargoyles as it were. 

Elisa had been more than happy to leave them be, Derek looked over them and he hadn’t mentioned them in quite a while but then again there were other more important things going on.

If the Illuminati were backing Thailog then it meant Jon was also connected, and through that Martin and Bluestone. 

She needed to escape immediately, she needed to get this information to Bluestone. The Anti-Gargoyle sentiments were so deeply entrenched into one of the world’s most powerful secret societies and there was little they could do except getting the government rolling on the endangered species act. 

Brentwood sat before her and smiled at her far too similar to one that Lex would give her, “Hello, Ms. Elisa.”

“He is also like me, newborn and old all at once. You see, Sevarius told me a little secret about the Clone’s DNA, and a little trap door Xnanatos had put in us. A fail-safe if you would, that I suppose if we were to betray him he could flip it and everything would be over. It’s almost like a disease but it’s part of us. We would have been petrified if he had chosen to do so, but he hasn’t. Either way, I took that ability away from him once I grew myself and Brentwood's new bodies.” The wheels in her head were spinning again. 

A backdoor? Petrified? Xanatos had chosen not too? He had never told them about it but it wouldn't surprise her that he had a backup plan such as this. Xanatos had chosen instead of removing Thailog and killing off the rest, to let them continue to live despite the danger Thailog was. She would have to have a serious conversation with him when she got back, one without Goliath around. 

“Please, I’ll give you the grand tour,” the guards corralled her into following him down the stairs to the main floor. 

“We’ve got a new batch of adults over here, they should be ready to be out in the air in about a week. We need to give their lungs the time they need to get strong enough,” he proudly walked her through the lab, showing off each member of his new ‘family’ as he called it. He refused to sue the world Clan and it made her nervous. 

He truly wanted to create a new species and it would upset the balance of everything she and the Clan as well as the others had done to gain the favor of the public. 

Brentwood stayed close to her side and it unnerved her, he was acting almost as Bronx did. 

“Now I’ve shown you my creations, what do you think?” He asked without looking at her.

She had to choose her words carefully, Thailog was giving her a bad feeling. No villain ever shared their secrets and let the captive get away easily. 

“It’s interesting,” she paused to think of a safe path, “I have never seen something like this before. I’ve only seen Sevarius’ work when it was at a lower level. The fact that you were able to isolate, manipulate, and bring new life into this world is really, really interesting.” She tried to keep it as honest as possible, Goliath always knew when she was hiding something and she hoped Thailog did not have that ability. 

“What is it that you aren’t telling me?” He asked her smoothly.

Damn. “I’m scared,” she admitted, putting strength behind her words. 

“Oh, you’re scared of me?” He almost seemed to take glee in her squirming. “Please, come and have breakfast with me,” he checked his watch, “oh, well we can have a late brunch.” He chuckled and she had no choice but to follow him.

Currently, there was no safe escape.


	28. The Discovery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a lot harder to write then a I thought, to the point that I even went and finished the next chapter before getting half way through this one!
> 
> Thank you for the love! If you can’t give kudos, give a guy a cool emoji or two <3
> 
> As always thank you for your support and comments!

Dinner was as uneventful as their brunch had been and she was trying to understand what angle he was going to strike from next.

“Yes, so after she and I split she handed over most of Nightstone Unlimited to me. She kept a few departments to herself, but the night she tried to save her daughter, something changed in her. As you already knew,” he looked at her over the rim of his wine glass, “I was planning on killing her myself so I could take over both Demona’s and McBeth’s assets already, so her leaving it all eventually to me worked perfectly in my plan anyway.”

Using the word ‘split’ was an interesting choice on his part in her opinion. When a loved one tries to throw you into the fire of a burning roller coaster because you threatened her child, you could in a way call that splitting. 

“Ever since I’ve been working on my pet project, with the backing of my very wealthy donors. They want guards you see, the perfect guards. Gargoyles were built to protect, correct? That was what Hudson always seemed to say, though I never spent much time with him or the others of your Family.” He continued to reveal information to her.

“I hear she’s in the area, crawled back to her lover after she tried to wipe out the human race. Too bad she failed, she had a wonderful plan. She had kept the chemistry department to herself with the promise that once her work was done I could have to all to myself,” he chuckled, “we saw fit to agree to disagree about the Manhattan Clan for the time being then.”

“But, sadly she failed. I still got the chemistry department and was able to start making the breakthroughs that I wanted with Gargoyle DNA, so you could say we both got what we wanted in the end,” he shrugged before turning the conversation to focus on Elisa, “So, you’ve also been busy.”

She didn’t want to give too much away, her detective training kicked in. “Do you have any questions about the interview? I’m sure you saw it?” She had to keep it public, keep it in the realm that everyone already knew. 

“Ah yes, rather impressive. Both of my Fathers are true showmen,” he chuckled. “How much of it was pre-planned? I know you’ve been playing the double agent.” She took a bite of her steak to hide her expressions.

Once she had swallowed, “every answer was pre-planned, but the Gargoyle Task Force’s answers were all spur of the moment with no other backing to them.” That was partially the truth, she had been on the GTF’s side and had been fed questions to help get to the answers that the Gargoyles wanted to share with the world. 

“You are also quite smart, I can understand what Goliath sees in you,” she felt that was the first genuine comment out of his mouth the whole day. “Brains and beauty, I was stupid to have used only 10% of you when I made Delilah, maybe that’s why she failed,” he mused into his glass, clearly not paying her much mind but trapped somewhere in a fantasy she wanted no part in. 

Elisa decided to spring a question on him, “do you not fear the Quarry Men will want to kill you off too? You are still a Gargoyle.”

“Excellent question and the answer is no, Jon is a friend of mine. We’ve united against a common enemy I hate to say. Both of us would like the Manhattan Clan gone as well as Demona. Interestingly enough we’ve found another Gargoyle that the bastard Xanatos had a hand in creating, Coldstone was his name. I believe Goliath was carrying his shell out of the facility,” she didn’t like his answer at all. 

“His shell?” She egged him on, maybe she could get more information for them.

“Yes, we tried to separate all three personalities but the violent one was the one we wanted. Oh how he hated Goliath and the rest, and he condemned his body-mates for isolating him and taking his lover away from him,” he pouted and mimicked whining. 

She knew he was lying, but that didn’t matter. 

“So we did our best to save him and I put him in a new body, one that’s fresh, though has a bit too much metal in it for my tastes,” he took another sip. 

A new body and the dangerous one of the Siblings had been removed from the main body, they still had hope. 

“What of the other two?” She took another bite of her food.

“Oh them, they are still in the body but we powered it down. I assume their souls are either trapped for eternity or they disappeared once the electrical current ended.” She hated him with every fiber in her body, speaking of their deaths so nonchalantly. Righteous anger wanted to bubble out of her but she bit her tongue and kept it to herself. 

There was no one to save her from her own fiery temper. 

She hummed and nodded, giving the most neutral answer she could possibly give. He didn’t pay her much mind, his thoughts once again seemingly elsewhere. 

“Well dinner has been lovely, I shall see you to your quarters,” a cruel smile twisted his face.

“How shall I be your guest?” She asked as she stood up. 

“Don’t worry, it won’t be much longer.” If she closed her eyes his voice could almost have been Goliath’s, but his choice of words and phrases were closer to Xanatos.

He led her away from the living quarters which confused her, they back-tracked through the lab and drew close to the front door. Was he teasing her? Giving her a clear exit and then snatching it away from her? She stayed a few steps behind him, wary of his intentions. He had been foolish in not frisking her and checking her for weapons.

“I know you have a gun on you if you think to use it on me to escape you have another thing coming,” he really was incredibly similar to Goliath in his ability to read her mind and it terrified her. “No, you won’t be my guest much longer,” he turned and advanced on her faster than she could react. 

Before she could blink his fist was buried in her gut and a searing pain spread through her lower body. She heard a wet squish, but the blood rush in her ears blocked out the scream that was ripped from her. 

He pulled back, letting her balance precariously on shaking legs. The world was fading in and out, her fingers traced the edge of the hole he had ripped in her side. Her blood was warm and her fingers were so cold and all she could hear was a low scream in the background. 

“Thank you for your donation, this will ensure that my clone is the only piece of you left behind,” he smirked and turned his back to her as Elisa lost her footing. “You’ve also given me enough time to get some very good brain scans of you in conversation. The new you will be even better than you.”

His voice was fading out and she fell to her knees, an arm reached out to brace herself but the blood on the tile was slippery. Elisa couldn't find purchase and collapsed, gasping, to the floor.

A ringing filled her ears and blocked out the rest of the world, everything was narrowed down to a sliver and the pain started to fade away. She snapped back to reality and realized how numb her body had become and that she needed to move, needed to find a safer place to curl up and put pressure on her wound. 

She was losing blood, and fast. Her emergency training was trying to kick in, but it was one thing to help someone else in trouble and helping yourself. 

Her rational brain fought her animalistic one and she was losing. The idea of staying there, not moving, and simply curling up to meet her fate sounded better and better with each heartbeat. 

Elisa was a fighter, but she was so tired. Everything was too much, it was too heavy and her limbs were numb. 

There was a sound behind her but she didn’t have the energy to care and check, she couldn’t move her legs anymore. 

“Elisa, oh no. Elisa,” a familiar and foreign voice called to her. 

Her body was getting warm, almost too warm. 

“Lex?” She gasped out, his presence bringing her back from the thin edge. 

“Elisa, Elisa hurt,” he kept murmuring over and over as he started moving her body so he could pick her up. 

Lex wasn’t that strong, she had to be dreaming. It was all just a terrible dream. She kept chanting that to herself to help her keep a grip on reality. The pain would ripple through her on occasion but her body was getting cold and numbed once again. 

A terrible dream. A nightmare that she would wake up from in her warm bed, Goliath close at hand. 

The creature was bringing her someplace else, it was darker and warmer. Her body was shivering and stuck between what felt like a burning fever and the grip of hypothermia. She knew both well and knew that she would lose her grip entirely all too soon if she didn’t get to a trauma ward immediately.

“Here, this help,” his clawed fingers traced over her jaw and supported the back of her head while a glass was pressed to her lips. She didn’t want to drink, but when did Lex ever lie to her. 

The liquid was bitter and burned down her throat but almost immediately feeling returned to her fingertips. 

“Wait, blood stop,” his words were chopped and there was something off with his voice but she didn’t want to think about that, didn’t want to think about how the world was falling out from under her. 

He put pressure on her wound and she didn’t have the energy to whimper or to whine, the pain was worse than anything she had ever experienced before and she couldn’t see exactly what he had done.

“Not good, will do,” he huffed and once again picked her up.

She was woozy and the movement of being picked up and put down made her stomach roil and want to retch. 

“Find mate, don’t worry,” was the last thing she heard before she slipped under.

\--------------------------------------------

The air chilled and the wind shifted. Something had happened on their mission. Demona was crouched at the top of the Castle’s tower, her eyes scanning the dark for possible trouble that was sure to come her way. 

There was always trouble to battle with, her shadow was intertwined within on a level deeper than she had ever been able to peer into the abyss. 

The darkness spoke. “I knew it,” energy crackled around her, bringing whispers of a lover stolen in the dead of night. Goliath was a fool, he always had been and he always would. 

She threw open her wings and tossed herself off of the rampart and into the night air, in the direction the shadows had whispered.

There was little left on this earth that could truly scare her. McBeth had given up on their revenge, as had she. They could not be rid of each other, and if she were to be honest with herself she didn't want to see him go.

The past few months had been harder than any of the centuries that had come and gone. It was a hard pill to swallow, that her suffering had been at her own hand. 

She dragged herself out of the spiral thought process, McBeth had taught her how. He had called it behavioral therapy and she had simply rolled her eyes to help hide the difference it had been making in her life. 

Goliath shouldn’t have left Elisa alone. She knew that was the core of the problem at hand, nothing would have happened to her had they not separated. 

Now it was up to her to roam the dark forest and find the lost sheep.

In the distance, she could hear the chaos. Goliath was never one who was able to control his emotions and currently it was getting the better of him. 

She remembered the battles they had taken part in, the bloodshed, and the victories won. His berserker way of battle had only ever been brought on twice and both times have been by accident. Both times had involved her. 

Goliath was a fool. So was Elisa. The two of them were beyond help sometimes. 

Whoever exactly had taken the girl, had been smart in his timing; just enough time to rile Goliath into a frenzy but not enough time to track down Elisa. 

There were times when Demona missed the stone-sleep. She missed the healing, the ease of rest, and the quiet that came with the transformation. This was a time where she was thankful for Puck and his trickery. 

Sunlight peeked over the horizon and she made a quick descent, the pangs of transformation already working their way up her body. 

It burned through her blood and bones, melting away the extra flesh of her tail and wings. It had been disorientating to walk around with legs so straight and simple. They were less elegant and powerful than her Gargoyle ones. The lack of wings and tail for balance also meant that for the first few transformations that she had been unable to walk a few steps without leaning on a wall or piece of furniture for extra support. 

She rolled her shoulders and neck, trying to ease away the discomfort as her bones settled back into place. Her bare feet sunk into the moss, the trees around her no longer perches but instead the perfect width to hide behind in case of emergency. 

Demona could not die, but that did not mean she couldn’t suffer. 

The shadows whispered, weaker in the sunlight but still adamant in their nature. They had taken a shine to the girl when she had first entered her garden. Scotland was home to many ancient spirits who no longer had names or ties with Oberon’s Children. They were older than Oberon’s mother by her own calculations. They cared little for the fate of men but liked to play where the hands of fate deemed necessary. 

She had spent the better half of the year working through her trauma and history while also studying the arts of magic that she had tossed aside once before. 

The spirits had welcomed her back, but why? She had no clue. 

They swirled between the trees, just out of focus and just out of reality.

It took roughly half of the day to find the compound. It was hidden deep in the forest, surrounded by ancient trees on all sides and it was far enough away from the society at large that it more likely than not was an unknown base. That’s probably why McBeth hadn’t known about it. 

Demona reached for the satchel that was lashed around her waist, in it, she always kept emergency rations, a few bandages, odds ransoms pieces, and a communicator that was on a secure channel with McBeth.

“I’ve found the compound that had Elisa, tell the Manhattan Clan when they awaken,” she quickly typed off the coordinates that the tracker had given her. McBeth didn’t answer but she knew he had heard, they needed to keep everything under wraps.

She watched the guards, noticing their patterns and habits. Humans were drawn to rhythms during their daily activity and it was something she liked to study in silence. They were more at ease with a schedule to follow, especially military types. 

From their gaits, these individuals were trained and heavily armed; no doubt someone important was within the walls of the compound. She was also sure Elisa was there as well, the spirits were whispering over each other and she had to disconnect herself from the abyss. It was something she hadn’t done in a very long time. 

She wondered if it had been like that for the Magnus, to be connected to the other half of the reality they could not see. Oberon’s children reigned supreme there, they could have in the reality she existed in currently but for some reason, Oberon had decreed that they were not to interfere in the lives of the mortals. 

Clearly, that decree hadn’t applied to her shadow consorts. 

Anxiety started to bubble up in her being. There was little she could do without the cover of darkness and without her Gargoyle powers. She was strong in her human form but it was only a fraction of the strength she had in her true skin. 

She passed the time taking meticulous notes. Demona needed to bring back any information she could to McBeth, as it could aid them in the future as he continued to battle for the Manhattan Clan’s rights. 

Angela hadn’t come with them and for that she was grateful. The last time she had seen her daughter she had said things, done things, and been someone she wasn’t proud of. She didn’t have the strength to admit it just yet, but the one individual who needed to hear it the most was Angela. It was her fault that Angela had been harmed so gravely and it was hard to come to terms with it.

She wasn’t ready to admit to her mistakes, not after centuries of self-righteous anger that had burned so many of the bridges in her life. 

McBeth understood. He had taken her back in. Despite everything, or maybe because of everything they had been through together. 

The sun was beginning to set and the burn of change rocked through her body again, as well as a deep hunger. Changing and spending the day in her human form without a source of food was painful and she knew she needed to eat as soon as possible or her strength would fail her, but she didn’t have the time to consider it. 

Demona froze as the spirits let out a shriek and then fell silent. 

Silence from them was never a good omen. 

Movement from one of the smaller access doors caught her attention. A small figure, hunched in back and slim in frame, was dragging something far too large for its abilities. 

She flinched as her wings unfurled and her tail came back into being. Her bones cracked and settled as her muscles filled out and Puck’s magic brought her back to her truest form. 

Gingerly, on fresh feet, she crept closer and scented the air. She was trying to make sense of the scene unfolding in front of her. If she hadn’t known better it was almost like seeing Lex, or something similar to Lex, move about from the back door. 

She remembered the little Gargoyle fondly when he had been younger and back at the castle, she could admit that she was proud of the being he had grown into but she also had few emotions to spare for the Manhattan Clan as a whole beyond her daughter.

But the creature before her was not Lex, it was his clone but even then his scent was different from what she remembered. It was more acidic and unnatural than she last remembered it. Her interest was piqued, but first, she had business to attend to. 

His head whipped to face her, “help,” he quietly called out. “Blood, help. Gave stable potion, sleep.” His fragmented were hard to understand but she was getting the simplistic picture of what he had done to help her. 

She hadn’t smelled blood. The wind had been going the wrong way. Fear spiraled down her spine to the tip of her tail, the spirits had stopped communicating for a reason. 

Demona carefully, but quickly, made her way to his side. He was supporting Elisa’s head and trying to get her down the stairs but he wasn’t strong enough. 

Demona extended a hand to help support Elisa’s neck, “let me.” She took the rest of the woman’s weight. “We need to get out of here,” something in her told her to trust the clone. Blood was steadily dripping from the wound on Elisa's side, she could smell how thick it was in the air and it was cloying. 

“Yes, mother, save mother,” the creature murmured and took the lead, “follow, safe.”

Demona’s mind was in a whirlwind, she needed to contact McBeth and tell him that she had found Elisa and that immediate medical attention was needed. 

She had been studying magic and medical arts but this was beyond her scope. Demona hadn’t gotten a good look at the wound yet, but from the smell alone she knew that it wasn’t good. 

“Magic, strong here,” the creature who wore Lex’s face motioned her towards a clearing.

He was right, there was a humming in the air like when she drew close to the places where Oberon’s children had once lived. This one was ancient, much like the spirits that she spent the majority of her time with. 

She had questions for the creature, and why he was so attuned. Demona wanted to know why he knew she needed a magic font, but they would have to wait for later, the spirits were murmuring to her once again. Everything in her being told her the clone was bad news, that he was a member of Thailog’s inner working and surely Thailog wouldn’t have let both the Clone and Elisa out of his sight. 

There were no answers to her questions, not yet. She was only fearful that they would be discovered before the Manhattan Clan had time to get to them. 

“Heal, a little, too big,” the creature brought her to the stream. “Tried clean, no good,” he looked sadly down at his hands.

She scoffed, “I can clean her. I need to stop the bleeding, help me tear up this skirt,” she settled down next to the stream and gently laid Elisa out. 

They made short work of the skirt and started to dab the edges of the wound gently, the cool stream water washing away most of the mess. 

Elisa was silent, her eyes closed tightly and her gasps were quick and shallow. None of those were good signs. The gaping wound in her side was even worse than Demona had initially assumed. The blood flow had slowed to a trickle, but it was still steady. 

Usually, she held no emotions towards another creature’s demise. She had taken more than her fair share of lives, and she had not come to regret that just yet. She didn’t like the unease the roiled in her guts. 

She knew that there was little she could do to save her. Demona’s body was numb with that realization. She had seen death many times, it had been both a friend and a foe. It was different to see it the face of someone who was both. It was odd to see a face usually curled in anger towards her or was set in defiance against the world be so still. 

Blood rushed in her ears as her mind whirled through each of the possibilities that she could take. Few options would save Elia’s life, and none of them were a blessing. Sometimes only a curse would do. 

She knew what she had to do.

Goliath needed to be there, he needed to hear her decision. He needed to be just as guilty as she would be. 

Demona turned to the smaller creature, he was whimpering and his talons were twisting into the fabric on Elisa’s shirt. “Find Goliath, bring him to me,” she demanded. 

He nodded sharply without meeting her eyes.

“Find him, save mother,” he murmured one last time before darting off into the dark forest. 

She only hoped he would make it in time.


	29. The Curse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading! This chapter flowed a little easier for me, thankfully~
> 
> I hope you enjoy, drop an emoji below if you feel inclined! 
> 
> <3

He hurtled through the forest, his talons gripping the earth and throwing it high into the air as he kept scenting the air. He needed to find a trace of her, just enough to give him a pathway to her. 

The ground was not giving him what he wanted, maybe the air would. Goliath turned to the nearest tree that was thick enough to support his weight and strength. His claws sunk deep into the flesh of the wood and he hauled himself up. 

In the distance, he could hear his Clanmates calling for him, but he did not have time or care to answer. They would only hold him back in his quest to take back his mate. His more rational side was, for once, in line with the more base instincts that had roared to the surface after she had been ripped away from the ground by the flying assailant. 

It had been a man, no Gargoyle could truly fly beyond those that belonged to the Longdon Clan. They would not have dared to take her away from him. No. It was a man. A member of the Quarry Men and they were going to pay dearly.

First, it had been Coldstone, and now it was his mate. A snarl bubbled up in his chest and he scanned the forest. He needed a glimpse of light, a whiff of her scent, or a faint whisper of her voice. That was all he needed, and yet he could find none of them.

The night air was chilled, the grip of winter unwilling to relax in the moonlight. 

A howl ripped from his chest as his frustrations bubbled over. Why did the world want him and his mate separated? There was nothing wrong with their joining, they had the blessings of the Clan and Extended Clans, did humans not understand that concept? Did they not know the danger of standing between a Gargoyle and their beloved?

He threw himself off the top of the tree, the wind filled his wings and put him further away from his Clanmates. 

They had been heading in this direction last he had known, and he had followed it until the sun had risen. Within mere moments of waking he had been back on the trail, hoping that it hadn’t rained and washed away the last bits of her scent. 

The morning dew had erased everything. 

He refused to acknowledge that she was gone. He would not stop hunting until she was back in his arms. 

How he wanted to lock her away from the world, to keep her by his side and his side only so that nothing would ever hurt again. The rational side argued that she was not a bird to be kept in a gilded cage, but he did admit to liking the mere idea of it.

The forest was silent around him. It knew that an apex predator was stalking its prey and any who stood in his way would but cut down quickly and efficiently.

Only Hudson’s voice remained of the Clan, his voice had always been the most powerful. It had been a useful tool during battle when Hudson had been the leader of the Clan. 

“Goliath! Lad! Come back!” They had all repeated the same sentiment over and over, but he could not. He would not. 

They did not understand. Hudson’s mate had been dead for centuries, Brooklyn had never mated, and Lex was still fresh to the attachment. Only Broadway understood his pain to a degree. The night that Angela had almost passed was as close as Broadway had come to losing his Life Mate. 

Broadway had never watched her get ripped away, a scream for help stolen from her lungs as the shock of abduction settled into her. He had seen it flash across her face, the fear, pain, and the sharp set of her jaw that told him she too would be battling until they were back together. 

That worried him. She was a spit-fire, a strong-willed woman who didn’t take ‘no’ unless there was a very good reason for it. She was liable to get herself over her head and there were no Gargoyles in the wings to save her. Not this time. 

His instincts willed him forward and he listened, there was little else for him to go off of. 

Goliath glided for as long as the wind allowed him. Once it died down he angled himself to land in the crown of another tree whose top was far above its siblings’.

He landed on all fours and used his tail to help keep balance while he distributed his weight evenly through the branches. His wings flared, waiting for the next gust of wind that could lift his weight away from gravity’s grip. 

There were signs of human activity in the area that did not appear to be the work of the locals. A large swath of trees had been felled, their roots were nearly twice as tall as an average man. The forest floor had also been cleared of all plant life. There was little animal activity as well, all the creatures had been scared off by the machines of man. 

He spotted a footpath, clearly well used. 

Goliath dropped from his perch in the tree, using the thick branches as stop points until he was able to glide silently down to the churned earth. 

Oil, gas, and ripped earth filled his sense of smell and blocked out the possibility of picking up anything else. 

He followed the footpath, careful to stick to the shadows and he kept his wings and tail tucked close to his being so that he could have some element of surprise in case someone spotted him. 

There was a compound just across the next clearing. The guards were swarming it. Goliath could tell from their armor that they belonged to Quarry Men but they were more heavily outfitted than he was used to seeing. This was a special guard, much like the one that Wyvern Castle had. 

He kept to the shadows, tuning his ears to their conversations and calls to each other. 

Someone had escaped. 

Elisa, more likely than not, had managed to slip their grip. She was somewhere in the forest and he needed to find her before they did. 

Pride swelled in his chest. He had known her to be smart and resourceful, but to escape a compound like this one, full of heavily armed guards, was something he hadn’t thought she could have done on her own. 

He pulled away from the compound and moved deeper into the shadows, hoping that they hadn’t caught sight of his movements. 

With careful movements, ones that had been honed in a different era, he skirted the compound so he could be behind it. That was where the forest and building almost merged into one. 

The scents of oil and gas faded away and instead the smells of the compound and its humans came floating to him. 

He could smell their fear and anxiety, Elisa wasn’t supposed to have escaped and yet she had. He also picked up a smell that was foreign and familiar all the same, it was if someone had taken his own scent and twisted it beyond recognition. It didn’t smell like Thailog did, it had an acrid edge of artificialness that made Golaith’s face curl in disgust. 

There was a secondary scent similar to it, but instead of himself as a base smell, it was Lexington. He would have to ponder over that later, Elisa was at the front of his mind and he had little want to focus on anything else. 

“Spread out, they couldn’t have gone far!” One of the guards yelled at the others. 

Goliath was running out of time to be as close as he was to the building. He needed to get his information and then fade away.

He took another deep breath, trying to sense beyond what was on the surface. 

Goliath stiffened as the faint scent of blood, a lot of blood, started to flood his system as he willfully ignored the rest of the scent map around him. His gaze snapped to the back door of the compound. Two guards were posted.

It was quick work to get rid of them, a solid hit of a tail across the chest would lay most Gargoyles out flat and gasping for breath. He was sure they had broken ribs but he would not kill them, not until he knew the truth. 

There was a smaller pool of blood on the metal of the entrance. He dipped a finger into it and gave it a quick lick. 

Elisa. 

His own blood burned and his eyes flashed in the darkness. He kept himself from howling, lest he bring the whole compound down on his shoulders. He needed to follow her trail but it appeared like someone stronger had picked her up and carried her away, hence the lack of blood in the surrounding area. 

The scents mingled with her were hard to distinguish in his distress, both halves of his being battling over the right course to take and unable to focus on much else besides the shimmering pool of blood before him. 

One of the scents was a twisted one, acidic and unnatural. The other was softer, a scent that was familiar but not one he had breathed deep in a long while. 

It struck him. 

It had been a long time since he had scented Demona when she had not been in a rage or in the midst of battle. The scent that was the deepest mingled with Elisa’s was a fear tinged Demona. It wasn’t only fear, there were a number of emotions mixed in and a secondary scent he could not place a talon on but he didn’t care. 

Elisa was with Demona. 

He needed to find her, she would have taken care of his mate. Or so he hoped. Demona and he had not exchanged words since the confrontation on the Castle Tower and there were few words he had for her. But, if she had protected his mate and helped her then she was owed an apology and possibly a pardon. 

Panic still coursed through his blood. The pool before him was small but he could tell that behind the door there was a large amount. She had an open wound and a large one at that. Humans did not heal with the rising of the sun as he did, and if….

He snarled at the thought and threw himself off the banister. 

Demona would have brought her back to McBeth’s Castle and hidden her there. 

He could make it back to the tower before sunrise if he kept up his pace and didn’t run into any Quarry Men.

She was so close and yet so far away and it was tearing away at him. 

He wanted blood, but not until he knew what had happened and who to punish. 

A shadow burst out of the undergrowth, they almost collided but Goliath’s wings and tail made up for the lack of grip he had on the slippery churned up earth. 

“Lexington?” He snarled out, his body tensing as the creature had Elisa’s blood all over themselves. How he had not scented them coming... he shook his head and focused on the creature before him. 

“No, I friend. Follow. Elisa-“ the not-Lex couldn’t catch their breath, “Elisa dying, follow, quick!” They turned and darted away into the darkness, not towards the Castle but instead West of the compound. 

His instincts urged him forth while his logic screamed that it was a trap. 

He didn’t care. Elisa couldn't die. She couldn’t. That’s not how it was supposed to end. 

Before his panic had the time to take over his whole being, the not-Lex led him to a small clearing that had a thin stream running through it. 

Demona was illuminated by the moonlight and Elisa was in her grasp. She had a cloth in her hand and she was wetting the edges of the gaping wound that had been ripped into Elisa’s side. 

He couldn't bear to look deeper, for fear of what exactly he would see. 

“Elisa,” his voice broke. 

“Come, quick,” Demona ordered the two of them to her side. “We do not have time to get her to a hospital or the castle, I doubt her life would be saved in either case,” Goliath snarled at her, “Shut up. We don’t have time for this.” She snapped back at him. 

It was like a splash of cold water. He was ashamed of snarling at her, but he couldn’t help it. 

He reached for Elisa, his emotions a manic tumble. Each breath seemed to be more and more shallow and laborious, the blood wouldn’t stop its slow trickle and he knew that an open gut wound like that was a death sentence. His logical side was taking over, he didn’t have time to go into shock. They could deal with that later. 

Goliath steeled himself. 

“Good, that’s the Gargoyle I need right now,” Demona’s voice wavered and he was reminded that she was just as scared as him, the reason why was unknown to him. 

Last he knew she wanted Elisa dead. 

The not-Lex gently brushed a strand of Elisa’s hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. 

“Mother,” they murmured and looked to Demona.

Goliath rolled that statement over in his mind, what did the creature mean? Did they view Elisa as their mother?

“I’m going to perform a spell. There is no way to save her otherwise, too much blood has been lost and the shock of it is shutting down her body.” Goliath felt like he was hovering above his own body. 

“She can’t die,” he murmured, a talon tracing Elisa’s cheek and jaw.

“No, she can’t. Fate isn’t done with her yet,” Demona shifted her grip and Elisa moaned a pitifully small sound. “Goliath, the spell that binds me and McBeth together,” his eyes snapped to hers, “I’m going to cast it on the two of you.”

The world tilted and unfocused as his soul came slamming back into his body. 

“What- how?” He sputtered.

“I have been studying the arts I abandoned, trying to find a way to remove the curse placed on McBeth and myself. I’m going to curse the two of you,” her gaze burned into him, “will you be able to handle that?”

Demona knew the twisted nature of the curse first hand. A tree grows how the wind demands, and the winds of time had been everything but kind to Demona. He had seen what the ravaged of time had done to her, how she had been damaged and twisted beyond repair in many ways. She alone had suffered while trying to escape her would-be murdered and had-been ally. It truly was a curse to her. 

Elisa and he would be chained together, forever. One unable to die while the other lived. 

It was like a dream turned nightmare. He wanted Elisa to live as long as he did, but the act of turning his back on death went against the very rhythms of the world. A Gargoyle was to be born, protect, die, and become one with the dust again. It was unnatural and his being screamed against it, screamed against the abomination they would become. 

He would no longer be able to fulfill his last and most critical role of returning from whence he came and his stomach roiled at the thought of it. 

Elisa as well. 

Humans, much like Gargoyles, were supposed to live cyclically with a beginning, and end, and rebirth through the returning to the earth. 

Immortality was no laughing matter. His mind raced. They would outlive the Clan and all its members, they would outlive all the other Clans as well. They would be on the same level as Demona, McBeth, and King Arthur. They would be separate but joined, their life's clocks frozen in the moments of their individual curses or blessings. 

“I know what you are thinking,” Demona was cool and controlled. “It’s alien, it’s wrong, and it goes against everything we’ve been taught. So what?” He snapped out of his panicked spiral. “So what. If you do not do it now she will be lost, forever.”

Her words sliced him like a knife.

He needed to act. 

“What do I need to do?” His hand shifted to take Elisa’s, he squeezed it to reassure and ground himself. 

“What will you offer to save her?” Demona drilled a hole through him with her gaze. It had been a long while since he had seen a fire lit in her soul.

——————————————————————— 

“Elisa-“ the voice was calling to her again. 

She was floating in a dark place that was oddly warm and cold all the same. Her limbs tingled and burned, flashing between the two until she was sure they weren’t her own anymore and she was simply imagining the extensions of her body existing. 

Slowly but surely she had begun to lose feeling in places that didn’t matter. If anything she was glad for it, it meant the pain and shock also melted away.

“Elisa, answer me.” The voice was harsh but kind, like her mother’s when Elisa had done something not exactly wrong but not correct either. 

She hummed and shifted, “I’m here,” her voice was echoey and hollow all at once. 

“Elisa, speak to me, where are you?” The voice called out to her again, she could almost remember who it belonged to. 

“I’m here, floating. It’s warm and cold and fading away but I don’t mind, where are you? Who are you?” She called into the darkness. 

“I’m here too, I can’t see you. Can you think of sunshine?” What an odd request. 

Elisa didn’t bother to question it. She thought of sunshine cutting through the clouds, how it warmed her skin and the stone skin of her lover. She liked how the stone that covered him glittered in the late afternoon sun, almost as if he had crystals embedded in him.

“Focus on the light, hold it in your hands,” the voice commanded her. 

“Hands?” What was that? She couldn’t remember. 

“Hold the sunshine in your heart, where your love belongs,” the voice offered instead, she could do that. She had a heart. It burned with the light and it slowly filtered out into the space around her. The burning chill was ushered away but the tingling remained. 

“Perfect, keep doing that. Think of the sunshine and moonlight, think of Goliath,” the voice was getting closer. 

Goliath. The name was familiar, maybe it belonged to her lover. It suited him. She remembered flying through the night sky with him, the moonbeams lighting up the large city below them. She felt protective of the people there, but she didn’t know why. 

Her lover was strong and kind, beautiful in both the illumination of the moon and the shining rays of the sun. 

“Perfect, I’m here,” the voice startled her aware. Elisa hasn’t realized her eyes had slid shut in her thoughts. 

A familiar face appeared out of the darkness but she couldn’t give it a name, it belonged to a friend and foe, someone she trusted despite it all. Fiery red hair framed the sharp angles of her friend’s face.

“Hello,” Elisa smiled and slowly blinked. Her body was heavy and light all the same. 

“I’m here to bring you home,” the being held out a limb for her, it had five digits and a flat open space that looked like the perfect place to grasp. 

Hands. It was a hand. Her own hand formed in the darkness and she reached out while trying to keep her body together. 

“I’m fading,” she whispered. Elisa felt the edges of fear creep through her body.

“I know, it’s okay. It’s only natural.” The being was kind, almost like her Mother. 

“Help me,” she wanted to go where this being wanted to take her, anywhere was better than the burning and cold darkness. 

“I will, what can you give me to help you? Your lover has already made his pledge, what is your offer?” The being grabbed her hand and dragged her out of the darkness and with each gentle tug memories came flooding back. 

Goliath. Demona. The hole in her side. 

She reached down and felt her skin, it was bare and whole. 

“You are remembering pieces, but you won’t remember it all, do not worry,” Demona pulled her out of the cloud and into a field. “This is the limbo between, what have you to offer for escape?” 

Elisa’s mind was clouded. What could she give up? She was naked and there was nothing she could offer on her body. 

“I have nothing,” she looked over her naked form, “I have no money or power that I can give to get out of here.”

“What’s something you can give up, the spirits will take anything. They take years, vows of revenge, and memories. All have been offered before and all have been accepted without question,” Demona kept pulling her further and further away from the cloud and deeper into the pampas grasses. 

The world was distorted like the sunshine wasn’t quite real but a pantomime a child had created on a whim with crayons. 

“I can’t give up my memories, I can’t forget anyone,” though her memories were not whole she knew they were too important. “I have no God to give up, Oberon’s children are too strong,” she murmured without really knowing her meaning. 

A sunbeam struck her cheek and she pulled against Demona. She realized Demona was as naked as she was. 

The warmth of the sun-flooded her system and feeling returned all of her limbs. Her feet dug into the slightly damp earth, her fingers tips caressed the tips of the long plants, her skin felt the prickle of their sharp edges, and her face felt the traces of wind as it shook the grasses around her. 

“I know what I can give up,” she turned to face Demona, “who do I tell?”

“Whisper it as you would to a lover,” Demona crouched into the grasses and dug a shallow hole. “Cut a lock of your hair and place it here, tell the darkness your bid as you cover it, I’ll be waiting for you.” Demona’s body began to fade away.

Elisa was left alone in the field. The dark cloud was drifting closer but it was no longer surrounded by the strange energy field. 

“What doth the child offer?” It whispered. There was more than one voice, more than one person, and more than one soul. 

Elisa had seen stranger things while traveling the world, that much she knew even if she couldn't recall it all.

A small blade materialized in her hands, curved and wicked in its shape. She was sure its handle was bone, but it was not a bone of a creature she knew.

Elisa sliced off a piece of her hair and crouched just as Demona had shown her. 

She didn’t understand what was going on. She was scared, alone, and the world was wavering around her like a mirage. With gentle movements she buried her lock of hair, she was leaving a piece of herself in a place she did not know. She was sure she would never be able to find it again. 

Elisa cupped her hands around her mouth and whispered softly to the ground, knowing that the cloud would hear her as well.

“We accept,” the cloud rumbled and faded away quickly.

The world spun as if being spilled down a drain and she faded back to black.


	30. The Sunlight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there! Been a crazy week here in Japan. I work at a school so I’ve been caught up in the drama and politics of it all and haven’t had much time to write.
> 
> Please enjoy~ I’ll be getting back to everyone’s comments tomorrow for sure!
> 
> Also! I am actively looking for a Beta so if anyone is genuinely curious and would like to help me out please PM me! <3
> 
> Thank you!

The sheets were warm and soft. She was not ready to leave their embrace. If she stayed hidden under the sheets, the past few days would be nothing but a terrible dream. Elisa’s memories were fragmented, scattered between here and there with no string connecting them back to the present. 

She wasn’t sure if she was in Scotland still or not, and she didn’t care to find out just yet.

There was a rustling sound that came from the side of her bed. Elisa pulled the covers down so she could peer out. The room was illuminated by various lamps and candles. It was like they had set up awake for her. 

A tangle of red hair caught her attention and a smile broke across her face, “good morning Claire,” she extended a hand out from under the covers for the little girl to take. 

“Mornin’,” Claire murmured and gripped her hand tightly. 

“Where is everyone?” She asked the little girl. 

“Eatin’, I’ll go get them,” before Elisa could tell her to wait, the little girl had dashed off, her wings flaring behind her in clear excitement. 

Elisa sighed and settled back into the sheets. Claire being there answered her question as to where in the world she was. She couldn't remember coming back, her memories were fuzzy but she did have a strong memory of what felt like flying through the night air. 

She should feel panicked about her lack of memory, her first responder training was screaming at her that something terrible had happened and her body was shutting it out to keep her safe. Elisa felt like she should be panicking, but she just didn’t have the energy to do so. 

She knew she was safe in the castle, Goliath was somewhere near, and she was home. Home was a safe place.

“Elisa?” Goliath called out quietly for her. 

“Mornin’,” she peeked out of the blankets, her eyes getting heavier the longer she stayed awake.

“Oh, Elisa,” he came to her bedside and kneeled down, “my sunshine, how are you?” He searched for her hand and she gave it to him willingly, thankful for the contact. 

“I’m okay,” she took a mental check of her body, “sore in my side and neck, but okay. I’m just really tired,” she admitted to him. 

“Your side?” He leaned in and kissed her forehead.

“Yeah, I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck,” she chuckled.

When he didn’t respond, she focused her attention on his face. It was contorted between grief and worry and it twisted a knife into her guts.

“Hey Big Guy it’s only a joke,” she tried to lighten the mood and smiled at him. When he didn’t respond she started to panic. “Goliath, what’s wrong? What happened to me?” She was no longer sleepy.

Goliath squeezed her hand, “you…” he paused and took in a deep breath, steadying himself with her scent she was sure. “You were hurt, hurt so badly I thought I was going to lose you,” the pain in his voice took the knife and shoved it deeper.

“Who hurt me?” She tried to keep the edge of panic out of her voice. Her faded memories were making a come-back. She had memories of sitting at a table with another man. Had he been a man?

“Thailog, I don’t know what he did, but you were missing… so much blood,” he looked away and squeezed her hand again. “Demona found you, along with Brentwood.”

She could feel the edges of her memories coming back but she didn’t have the big picture, not just yet. Elisa knew they would eventually come back to her as they did in most cases of trauma, she had seen it many times in her own line of work. 

“Well, I’m here now,” she winced as she sat up in bed and shushed his concerned sounds. “I’m okay, just sore,” she smiled, trying to reassure him. 

Goliath’s face was still twisted. He was keeping something from her, something big. 

“What else happened?” Elisa reached out with her other free hand to cup his jaw, “there’s something you're not telling me.”

“Forgive me,” it was so quiet that she almost hadn’t heard him. “Please, forgive me.” He let go of her hand to grasp the one that was cupped around his jaw. “I did something terrible,” his voice was breaking her heart.

“Goliath,” her forehead crumpled in concern, “of course I forgive you, whatever you did, you did because you had to.” She knew him to be righteous in many of his actions. He was an accomplished negotiator and ambassador, and only resorted to violence when it was necessary. The reason for his violence was more often than not when a member of his family was in danger, and clearly, she had been in danger. 

He had done something to save her, and it was weighing heavy against him. 

“I did something that is against nature, and,” he leveled her with a look she couldn't decipher, “I did it to you.”

It was like the structures inside his body that held him up collapsed all at once. He slumped against her hand, “please?” His eyes slipped away from her and instead, he focused on the floor. 

“Look at me,” she hardened her voice but regretted it immediately. The pain in his eyes shot through her like lightning. “I’m not mad, I’m only worried. What happened? What did you do?” She left out the ‘to me’ part of her question. “I trust and love you, please, tell me.” 

She leaned down and tipped his head so she could kiss the space between his brow ridges.

“I let Demona bind us,” he gazed softly at her, “she bound us like she and McBeth are, it was the only way.” He leaned against her, almost as if he wanted to melt into her.

Elisa sat frozen for a moment, comprehending what he had just said. They were bound together, forever, as McBeth and Demona were. The Weird Sisters had tied the other two together centuries ago, and the curse had ravaged both of them. 

“Please, it was the only way. You were dying, bleeding out right in front of me. Please, don’t be angry,” he pleaded with her in a way he had never done before.

What would she have done had it been here to choose? To live together forever or to let him fade away? The concept of living forever was a hard one to wrap her mind around, it was like looking into a mirror that reflected her own reflection into infinity. 

She understood his decision, she just didn’t comprehend the ramifications of it yet.

“Do you remember anything?” He pulled back so her hands dropped away from his jaw, and he pushed some of her stray hairs our of her face. “She warned me that you would have memory gaps,” he was being so gentle with her, even more so than usual. 

She knew why though.

Elisa was honest with him, “I remember snippets. I remember flying through the air, which I assume was when I was taken away. I remember sitting at a table with a man, who must have been Thailog. I don’t remember his hurting me, and I don’t remember being found,” she laid her hands flat on her laps, palms up so she could focus on them. 

“Demona found you,” his voice choked over and she quickly reached for his hands, “she found you bleeding out from a wound on your side.”

Well, that explains the deep-set ache that was there. 

“You said Brentwood found me too?” She asked him. 

He nodded, “Demona believes he is the reason you are alive now. We have him here with us, you can meet him later and maybe he can help fill in the memory gaps.”

“Did Demona,” she paused, forming her sentence, “how did Demona do it?”

Goliath let out a long breath, “she made the pact between us. I swore to avenge you, and pledged my loyalty to you always.” It would always amaze her how he could speak so deeply and freely. 

Her face heated up as a blush curled from her neck to her ears.

“Do you remember what you offered?” His question was soft.

She shook her head, “no, I don’t remember anything after I finished questioning the guards, I’m sorry.”

“There is nothing to be sorry for,” he murmured and leaned in to kiss her forehead. 

“Come into bed with me, please,” she felt raw to the world and wanted to forget about it for a little bit longer. 

She shifted over, mindful of her sore side, and made room for him to crawl in with her. It was a little awkward with his tail and wings, but they made it work. He curled around her on his side, his arm slipping under her to pull her closer to his chest. She threw her legs over his thighs so she could remain laying on her back. 

It was nice, to just lay there and be quiet. She had so much to think about and she felt like there wasn’t enough space between her ears to hold it all.

“I forgive you, do you hear me?” She ran her hand over the arm thrown over her middle.

He hugged her tighter and buried his face into her shoulder.

“You say that like-“ she cut him off.

“-listen here. If I had been in the same place I would have done what you did. You made a choice to keep me alive and I’m grateful. I’m not done with this world yet, with you or the Clan, I still have so much to do.” She dragged her nails over his skin, enjoying the way he shivered. “Forever is a lot to consider,” she murmured.

“I know, I was trapped thinking about it and almost missed my chance to keep you,” his lips pressed against her collarbone. “Demona gave me wise advice, I forget that once upon a time she had been my right-hand and far more clever than I,” he chuckled but she could feel the sadness hidden behind it. 

“I don’t doubt it,” her other hand reached up and pulled some of his locks over his shoulder so she could play with the ends. 

Chunks of memories were floating back to the surface. Elisa could remember Goliath’s face as she was taken into the sky and….

She jolted in bed, only Goliath’s arm across her middle kept her in the sheets.

“Daylight doesn’t affect Thailog or Brentwood anymore,” she struggled to sit up but Goliath wouldn’t let her. 

“Please, Elisa, you are still healing,” he quieted her down, “What do you mean? How can that be?” His face searched hers for answers to what he had thought and impossible situation. 

She had to think back hard, snippets of her talks with Thailog were drifting back. “He cloned himself and Brentwood and changed strands of their DNA. He’s a Gargoyle, but not.” Elisa chewed her lip. 

Goliath was quiet and she didn’t blame him. 

“He’s making guards, more clones, he’s going to clone me as well. That’s why he took a chunk out of me and left me for dead,” it was all flooding back to her now. She couldn’t stop the tide of her memories. “He’s in the Illuminati, they are backing his efforts and the Quarry Men are in on the deal, they want to wipe out the Real Gargoyles and replaced them with the obedient servents and clones that Thailog is going to create,” the words tumbled out of her, she curled into a ball and buried herself into Goliath’s arms.

“They have Coldstone’s brother’s personality cut off from the other two, but they made already be dead. We may not be able to save them,” she cradled her skull between her hands as the pressure grew behind her eyes. “I need to speak to Bluestone, I need to speak to Martin, we need to know why this was kept to us,” she hissed out. 

Goliath made low sounds, trying to soothe and calm her but it was useless. She refused to let him speak, she needed everything to be out and not trapped in her lungs. 

“Bluestone wouldn’t lie to me, but Martin? I don’t trust the man, I know he knows,” she seethed, her anger rushing to the forefront. “Thailog is going to ruin everything, he could ruin me,” memories of Thailog gloating about having scanned her brain, having taken everything he needed to make and even better Elisa. 

Her body had gotten so cold, the edges of it sliced her in places she didn’t know she could feel. 

The memories of the place between had finally reached her. She closed her eyes and battled against them, knowing that it was both reality and unreality all at once and it was almost too much for her to take at once. Her world had been overturned too many times.

“Goliath,” she whispered and reached to wrap her arms around his neck.

“I’m here, do not fret,” he whispered back and shifted so he was sitting up. He wrapped her in the comforter and cradled her in his lap. “It’s going to be okay, we’re together and we will figure this out. We always do,” he kissed the edge of her jaw and rested his head against her.

“It’s too much,” she didn’t want to sound defeated, but she couldn’t control it. 

“We are not alone. We are never going to be alone,” he reassured her. “I will always be here for you, for us, and you know that I speak the truth now,” he chuckled, trying to lighten her mood.

She snorted and leaned into his chest. 

“Hold me down for a little bit? I’m so tired.” Exhaustion was dragging at her bones again. 

“Always, I’ll hold you always,” he gave her one last kiss, this time on the lips. There was no heat to it, just simple affirmation that he adored her and would do anything for her. 

He had already proven himself in that sense.

——————————————————————

Goliath had reluctantly left her side as dawn approached. Instead of his usual post on the tower with the rest, he decided to guard the balance between her windows. She knew it was for his comfort just as much as hers and she didn’t question him. 

Once he had settled and turned she took the quilt that was folded at the end of her bed and wrapped herself in it. Her memories were also all back and intact, and she needed to talk to Xanatos. 

Though, she assumed he was waiting for her. He always did have a sense of him when he was needed.

Xanatos was where she knew he would be. His den was dark, only the fire of the hearth lit up the room. It illuminated the bottles on his desk. The sun had already risen but she knew he hadn’t gone to bed.

No. She knew he was waiting for her to appear once Goliath was returned to his stone form. 

“I’ve been waiting, Maza,” he hadn’t called her by that name in quite a while. He knew she meant business then.

“David,” she curtly called back. “Mind pouring me a drink?” Elisa settled into the overstuffed chair that sat opposite his. 

He looked at her with bloodshot eyes, “of course. Whiskey or Gin?”

“Whichever is the strongest,” she shrugged and pulled the quilt off and laid it across the back of the chair. 

He moved to the bar and poured her a glass of sable colored liquor as well as topping up his own cup. Xanatos also drifted to the windows and pulled the curtains aside. 

“Please, don’t,” Elisa spoke up and raised her hand to motion him to stop.

He closed them and raised an eyebrow at her, “any particular reason why?” His tired eyes had a spark in them. 

“I’m going to tell you what happened when I was taken away, and you are going to have to figure out if you believe it or not,” she sat back down in the chair and took the offered glass. “This story will have familiar characters, ones that you are inherently intimate with,” she leveled with him over the rim of her glass.

The alcohol burned her throat and nose, and it was exactly what she needed at that moment. 

She recounted the events as she remembered, being sure to tell Xanatos that her memories were still scattered and full of holes. He nodded along and kept his questions to himself, though she could still the list growing as her story unfolded. From the genetic manipulation to the genetic backdoor, she recounted what happened in the lab.

Elisa told him of the pin, one she knew too well and she assumed he knew as well. He squirmed in his chair, caught in his own game. She ignored it and moved on to the contract work between Thailog and Jon, Quarrymen and Illuminati, there were too many skeletons dancing in the closet and she needed to shine a light on them.

“Brentwood is here with us?” She looked around, sure he was close at hand. 

Xanatos nodded, “yes, he’s in the next room over. It took a lot of convincing on Fox’s end to keep him away from you. He is deeply attached, as you mentioned he was in the facility. He followed Goliath like a kicked puppy when we came home, didn’t back away even when Goliath snarled at him.”

She didn’t understand it. The other Clones had never felt attached to her if anything due to Delilah existing they tried to stay as far away from her as possible because her scent confused them.

“The Illuminati is my concern, they have been pulling the strings,” she took a deep gulp from the cup to steady herself, “did you know about this?” Her eyes burned with betrayal. 

His expression was frozen, and she could see him thinking.

“I knew Martin Hacker was a member, he is above me being Thirty-Two,” he answered quietly. “I am one of the Thirty-Six, but I didn’t know of Thailog being accepted into the society. I don’t have much contact with them, and I believe they are considering removing me due to my close connections with the Gargoyles and that I am no longer hunting for immortality.”

The gears in her head were turning, “Hacker is Thirty-Two?” She questioned him, testing the knowledge that Bluestone had given her.

Xanatos nodded, “He’s been a member for longer than I have, I’ve seen him at a few of the meetings but we are also under strict ruling to never acknowledge each other in public,” he explained why he had never paid more attention than necessary to the other man.

“But, Vinnie told us that Mr.Thirty-Two was the one who contacted him, telling him about the job in Japan, and you didn’t inform us?” It didn’t make sense. 

Xanatos nodded, “Yes, that’s correct. I didn't think it important to share.” He took a sip of his drink. 

“Do you know if Jon is a member of the Illuminati?” She took another drink. 

“I can’t be sure but my guess is yes, he’s moving and shaking the world at its core and the Illuminati like to gather such people for their cause. I was taken in due to my fortune and because I was seeking immortality. I also assume I was let in due to the Gargoyles but I didn’t give any more information on them than was necessary and I think that displeased the leaders.”

“I also have a favor,” she took a deep breath.

“You and the Clan need to know that you don’t have to ask for such favors anymore,” he chuckled and threw another log on the fire. She could see the exhaustion in his shoulders and neck, clearly, her almost dying had also put stress on him. 

He cared in his own ways. 

“I need a doctor.”

“What kind?” He asked.

“One that will diagnose me with a sudden allergy to the sun,” she chewed on her lip and stood up. “I made a deal, a very important deal. You could say I gave up being able to be in sunlight to keep my life,” she tried to explain without giving him the whole truth. She and Goliath had agreed to keep the magic binding them a secret until they understood more about it. 

She hadn’t had a chance to test out what sunlight would do to her just yet, but it was a perfect time as ever. 

Elisa stood up and moved next to the window and carefully drew back some of the heavy cloth and stuck her hand into the sunbeam. 

The effect was almost immediate. Her flesh crystallized and turned to stone, it crept out from where the sunlight had directly touched her skin to the areas just beyond it where the sun’s heat had reached her. She quickly closed the curtain and waited to see what would happen next.

As her skin cooled it slowly transformed back into flesh. 

“Well,” Xanatos threw back the rest of his drink and set the cup on his desk, “I will see what I can do, can’t have you go outside now can we?” He was taking it rather well, but when one’s life was centered around magic, gods, and Gargoyles, there was little left that could unsettle the man. 

“Yup, and I’m unsure what this will do to my work life…” she trailed off. 

“They will either put you on permanent desk duty or permanent night duty, if we get the correct paperwork through the legitimate channels we should have little problem. I am still searching for a doctor that I can trust with Derek and Maggie’s situation, so I’ll tack yours to that file.” They were asking so much from him and it weighed heavily on her. She had explained to Goliath that he too viewed them and the Clan as a family and that it truly wasn’t a favor, just as he said moments earlier, but that didn’t make the guilt any less heavy on her. 

He shook his head and stood to refill his glass, grabbing hers on the way. 

“Don’t give me that look,” he could read her mind, just like Goliath could. 

“I know what you are already going to say,” Elisa took the glass he offered and continued, “I just never expected it to be like this.”

“You and me both, but I can’t say I would rather be with any other group,” he chuckled and offered her his glass to clink against. 

“Cheers to that,” she chuckled and let out a long breath. 

“We’ve got quite a bit of work to do, I was able to bring Cold Stone back online but none of the three-“ he paused and corrected himself, “two personalities have come back online. The body is living but we do not know if their minds are there. Thailog did a number on them but I will try my best,” he raised his eyebrows and chuckled, “even Demona has offered her services. Never thought I would be working alongside her in a lab again.”

Eliza snorted, “she’s not all that bad.”

“No, I know. Something in her had changed, and it’s for the better,” he had seen it too. 

Demona was angry and hurt, but it wasn’t directed to the world anymore. She was working on healing herself from the ground up and Elisa could respect that. 

“We have a lot to get done, I’m going to take this with me and get some sleep. Some real sleep,” she knew that the bags under her eyes were bruised purple. Xanatos also looked worse for wear.

“I’m going to go give Fox an update on what you told me. I’m sure she will find out more information as well,” he was right, Fox was the most connected one out of the Clan at this point. “Dingo also finally turned up,” his voice was laced with disappointment. 

She had noticed him missing during their takeoff but had chosen to not ask about it as no one had offered any explanation. 

“He was desperately needed in Australia, but he is here now and more than willing to help us out. The Matrix connected to him will also be incredibly useful as well, so here’s hoping he will be able to actually assist us this time,” the venom in his voice didn’t fade but she also didn’t blame him. 

They had needed Dingo and he hadn’t arrived.

She rested a hand on Xanatos’ shoulder, “goodnight, please rest up,” she wrapped the quilt around her shoulders and gave him a small smile before she exited and made her way back to her room.


	31. The Good News

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for waiting for the update to this fic
> 
> If you didn't know, I live in Japan and it's been a while past week with my requirements at work shifting from day to day, I haven't had the time to sit down and bang out a chapter in awhile. 
> 
> Don't worry! This story will continue to go on, I have a lot of ideas of where this fic is going to go :3
> 
> As always I appreciate grammar help and am still looking for a Beta (someone who is willing to read over my drafts and clean them up)

Chavez had called her and warned her, having made sure to tell Elisa before she found out about it on the news.

Chavez’s voice was ringing in her ears as they all gathered around the TV set and watched the nightly news. Everyone in the castle was crammed into the living room area, sectioned off into their own pairs or groups. 

Weeks before she had thought about how pretty a picture it had been; seeing Lex and Amp so wrapped around each other in their fledgling love, Broadway and Angela joined at the hip no matter they were, Claire who had taken quite the shine to Brooklyn and his sewing skills, and Hudson who was always an unwavering column of support. Even Fox and Xanatos were seated with Alex between the two of them, Owen hovering over their shoulders. Bronx was curled up close to Golaith’s legs, as he too was never too far away.

Dingo had also joined them, just in time for an early dinner if one were to go by standard human daytime activities. 

Goliath was wrapped around her. He hadn’t left her side since the incident. She knew he wasn’t aware of it, but he scanned the rooms they were in constantly, kept her close to his side, or followed behind her no matter where she went. It was like he was velcroed to her side and she didn’t blame him.

Elisa wanted to have him within arms reach.

She rested her cheek against his chest and turned away from the TV. 

The announcer cleared his throat and shuffled his papers. “Hello, I am Ian and we are taking a momentary break from the usually scheduled news and shows to bring breaking news straight from the Whitehouse.” Elisa was grateful that Chavez had phoned her, congratulated her, and given her another week off. 

The reporter read off his script, “in groundbreaking fashion, the Whitehouse as they have been contacted by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The International Union has declared that the Gargoyles on and off American soil are to be recognized as an endangered species that we know little of and must research in order to preserve and protect them. 

“This declaration is unprecedented and the first of its kind in history, folks at home this is history in the making,” she turned back to the screen to see him flash a smile. “The Whitehouse had yet to give their official statement on the matter, but we expect to hear from them soon,” he nodded to someone off-camera. “My associate, Mr. Bluestone of the Gargoyle Task Force is here with us tonight to give us folks at home more information on what exactly is a Gargoyle, as well as answer some questions that have been submitted by the public.”

Goliath shifted to squeeze her tighter, “we did it,” he murmured into the crown of her head, his nose buried into her locks. “It’s the first step of many but we have accomplished something great and wonderful.”

She felt foolish, it hadn’t been her idea to contact the International Union, Hacker and Bluestone had done that themselves while she had been away tracking down ColdStone. 

Elisa had yet to talk to the other two members of the force about their Illuminati ties and if they were aware of Thailog or possibly Jon being a member of the secretive group. 

Bluestone walked onto the stage and took a seat with Ian, the announcer. 

“Hello and thank you for having me tonight, we’ve got quite a bit to cover so shall we begin?” He had pulled out his people-pleasing voice and tone, Elisa could see the magic it worked on screen. 

Bluestone launched into a basic explanation of what the Gargoyles were as a species, he produced the file that Xanatos had given the member of the Gargoyle Task Force during their initial interview that had happened not too long ago. He planned to make it available to the public in order to quell any concerns or anxiety that may arise because of everything that had happened so far. 

“Also,” Bluestone’s face took a serious turn, “it is my pleasure to officially denounce the Quarry Men as dangerous vigilantes that participate in the poaching of an endangered species,” it had been Chaves’ way around the Gargoyles not having human rights, so the Quarry Men could not be labeled as a hate group. Instead, poaching was the most straightforward label that could be given to them. 

Xanatos whistled, “It looks like the N.Y.P.D has been busy while we’ve been away.”

She could hear the others murmuring, happy and surprised at the turn of the events. 

“Does this mean we are protected now?” Broadway asked the room.

Hudson answered him, “Indeed lad, it means that we canna be hunted or caged. We dunna have human rights yet, but this is a close second.” The other Gargoyle sounded pleased nevertheless. 

“Now, I have some questions from the public, if you don’t mind?” Ian politely asked Bluestone. 

“Of course! Anything to help clear the air,” Bluestone smiled and settled into his chair. 

“The first question comes from a New Yorker whose declined to share any other information, they ask ‘are Gargoyles dangerous’?” It was a question they all expected. 

“Classic question, the short answer is no. That they don't pose a threat to humans,” he shook his head, “now for the longer answer. For sometime before they were discovered by us humans they have been working in the dark to protect the people of New York City, now we aren’t quite sure from when this all started, but we have numerous first-hand accounts of people in New York being saved by the Gargoyles,” Bluestone held up a hand to stop Ian, “now before you ask another question please let me finish.”

The other man raised an eyebrow, but nodded and let Bluestone continue. 

“There were also reports of people feeling threatened by the Gargoyles, but can be led to believe that this was during their initial introduction to New York as a city. The other people who felt threatened were the ones that the Gargoyles stopped, so they had every right to feel threatened but if they hadn't done criminal acts then the Gargoyles would have had no reason to have interacted with them.”

She knew she already owned Bluestone a beer or two but she may just have to kiss the man when Goliath wasn’t looking. 

Goliath rumbled happily, his chest vibrating against her cheek. It reminded her of Cagney and his own purring. 

Bluestone answered a few more of the mundane questions that had been answered many times before, but at least this time it was on a platform that would reach the world.

It was satisfying to see her and the others’ work come to fruition. They had all worked so hard and played their hands and it had turned out better than she had expected. They weren’t done, not by a long shot.

The Quarry Men were still at large and growing more powerful. Thailog has terrible plans put in place for the other Gargoyles around the world and needed to be stopped. She and Goliath were both cursed and blessed and didn’t understand the depth of what exactly had happened, and she believed that they never really would. Demona and McBeth would be sources of support as they try and navigate this new world that they’ve found themselves in. 

Elisa also needed to figure out how to explain to the others about how she became stone-like them, but only when exposed to daylight. She needed to explain that to her work, and she wasn’t sure if they would continue to allow her to work. It would be illegal for her to be fired, but a detective that can’t be out during the day had limited work options within the force itself. 

It would put Chavez between a rock and a hard place, as well as the rest of the Task Force. 

She needed to talk to Derek, and the rest of her family, about what she should do next. Goliath had agreed with her when she had asked if it was alright to tell her family about what had happened and the curse. In her opinion, her family were the only people who really needed to know. 

Both she and Goliath would figure out what to say to the others in the Clan later. All they knew was that magic had been used to heal her and bring her back from the brink. 

For the time being, she was just glad to be alive and to be with everyone else.

“Not bad at all,” Dingo spoke up and chuckled, “do ya really need my assistance?” He scoffed. Elisa could hear his eyes rolling in his head.

Xanatos and Dingo had been clashing since the Australian had arrived. 

She wasn’t sure if it was because of what had happened in Scotland, their mixed history, or because of Fox.

Elisa had already decided to stay out of it. Usually, she was more than willing to throw herself into a conflict between friends and allies but she just didn’t have the energy at the moment. Her legs became tired quickly and her temper was shorter than ever since she had woken up. 

Before the two could launch into another bickering fight, Lex spoke up, “so, what does this mean for us now? Are we going to be examined?” He peered around at everyone from his perch on Amp’s shoulders.

It had become a usual position for him to be perched on his mate’s shoulders, his arms wrapped around the back of the other’s head and his chin resting on the crown of the other, between Amp’s antlers. It was a rather cute way to sit and Elisa liked to see Lex so relaxed in his interactions with Amp as the two got closer and closer since Amp’s decision to join the Manhattan Clan. 

Brooklyn shrugged, “Xanatos has already said that if any official investigation were to happen to us the people would have to come here and they would be watched closely,” he shifted Claire to his hip as he stood up and got closer to the rest of them.

Broadway nodded, “I wouldn’t be too worried, we are endangered now so it would be illegal to harm us,” he thumbed his chin, “I’m going to lookup more about this, and what it means for us. The more we know the better off we will be.” Angela nodded along. 

When the younger Gargoyle had awoken, Angela’s first move had been to track down Elisa and wrap her in a tight hug. Angela had even snarled at Goliath, Elisa chuckled at the memory of it. Angela had been protective of her since the incident of her having been thrown from the tower, but Elisa almost dying once again had triggered some interesting instincts from Angela. 

Eventually, she had settled down and shifted from gripping Elisa tightly to fussing with her hair and checking over every inch of her. She complained the whole time that she hadn’t been allowed to do it the night before because Goliath had refused to let anyone besides Claire get close to her. She snapped and huffed at her Clan Father, but Elisa could tell it was her way of coping and that she wasn’t truly mad.

Everyone had done that in turn to her, holding her close and checking her over, much to Goliath’s annoyance. 

Being a member of the Clan had exposed her to behaviors she would have never assumed that Gargoyles were initially driven to do. Not that she minded, not at all. It reminded her that they adored her just as much as she adored them. 

Brooklyn broke her out of her train of thought, “They already have the packet we gave the others during the interview, and we can provide more information if asked. We should call up the London and Ishimura Clans to give them the good news since this is international and all,” he handed Claire to Angela. “I’m going to do that while the information is still fresh.” With that, he exited the room. 

Xanatos spoke up, and for once it wasn’t to take a shot at Dingo, “as Brooklyn said, be at ease. If they would like to ‘study’ you, then they will have to come here and be checked over. We aren’t out of the deep water just yet,” his hand reached out for Fox’s and she squeezed him back. 

“We are going to make sure everything is safe, so we ask that you please continue to not leave the castle, unless absolutely necessary,” Fox added on.

If you had told Elisa a year earlier that Fox and Xanatos would have become the greatest supporters of the Gargoyles and their little Clan, she would have laughed at you and asked you to get your head checked. 

Everyone continued to chat about possible plans for the future, and all Elisa could think was that she was so glad to be with them all and that they could plan for the future. Not just a future, but a safe future, a growing future. 

Between Claire and the Eggs, they would have hatchlings to watch over and grow with. 

She could be a mother, not in a traditional way, but in a Gargoyle way and that was good enough for her. 

Xanatos turned to her, the others kept chatting but she could tell by how his face was set he had something to tell her but he didn’t want to say it in front of the others. 

“I also was able to locate a doctor who will take a look at Maggie, so if you would call the two of them here? The doctor can meet with them as soon as tomorrow, it just depends on how quickly they can get here,” Xanatos nodded and she read between the lines. She too would be checked out at the same time as Maggie. 

“I can call them in a minute, Derek will get here as soon as he can, we know that for sure,” she smiled and patted Goliath's chest. He hadn’t stopped rumbling and nuzzling into her crown, he had only lost some of his volume. 

Xanatos nodded and rose to his feet, “I’m going to start working on Coldstone, he’s had enough time that his energy reserves should be back online and we can do it. Demona will be arriving sometime tomorrow, as well as McBeth once he’s finished setting up further surveillance in the area.”

Thailog and Jon would not be able to move their compounds and resources easily, from what Elisa had seen of the machines Thailog had been working with they could not be moved without damaging the contents and creatures growing within them. 

McBeth had taken on the challenge of setting up surveillance and a CCTV to keep an eye on what was happening around the two compounds. From what they were able to gather, Thailog and Jon knew that Elisa was missing but they were unsure if she was still alive or not based on how they were searching for her. 

It was like they were looking for a corpse more than a living being.

They also knew that Brentwood was missing, and they suspected the Manhattan Clan of having him but it was too soon to tell. 

Brentwood had declined to join them for the watching party, instead, he seemed to prefer being alone. Elisa had found an old coloring set for him and he seemed more than content to doodle away and pay the rest no mind. He had tried to stick close to her side but Goliath hadn’t allowed him to do so. Unlike Bronx, he wasn’t a real member of the Clan.

Before Xanatos had asked to contact Maggie and Derek she had already been planning on doing so. Brentwood needed a place to stay and he couldn't stay with the Clan. It would be better for him to rejoin his own people and be back with them. The underground could also use him as he didn’t turn to stone during the day. 

Elisa felt bad about making the decision for him and not asking him what he wanted to do, but they didn’t have time and they didn’t have a place for him among their ranks. 

It was kinder to bring him to the underground and have Delilah look after him. 

There was a lot to get done and what felt like not a lot of time to get everything in order. 

Goliath seemed to read her mind, as he always did, “we are in this together, remember that,” his voice rumbled against her cheek and she closed her eyes. “It is more than me or you, it’s us.”

He was right, he had probably sensed the growing panic that had risen in her chest. It wasn’t just her who was doing the heavy pulling anymore, it hadn’t just been her for a while now. 

Bluestone had done something she hadn’t even considered and it had brought safety to nearly all of her friends. He was an ally through and through and someone she could rely on, even if she did have questions for him. Xanatos and Fox had proven themselves time and time again. The Trio were adjusted to the world and only needed help occasionally but most of the time they were able to figure it out by themselves. 

They didn’t need nearly as much from her, but that didn’t mean they didn’t love her or want her. 

She let out a long breath, “we’ve got a ways to go but we are together in it, you are right about that,” she smiled up at him.

———————————————————

She was sprawled on her bed, her upper back supported by pillows so she could lounge. He had made himself comfortable covering her body with his own, his head resting on her chest so he could listen to her heartbeat. 

Goliath's wings were spread wide, the tips hanging off the bed and the same with part of his tail. His arms were wrapped around her middle in the space between the pillows so he could hold her tightly to him. 

They didn’t feel the need to fill the silence between them, it was nice to just lay and be quiet. 

To be honest he needed it to be quiet and to not speak so his hearing could be more tuned into her heart. His instincts had been fluxing the whole night, he had found himself snarling nearly lunging at Angela when she had taken Elisa into her arms to hug her Clan Mate.

Elisa’s fingers dragged through his locks as she continued to pet him heavily. 

The room smelled of just the two of them and it soothed his frayed nerves like one of Demona’s healing balms over a burn. 

He needed to be surrounded by it, not just her scent, but the two of theirs mingled. It scared him if he were to be honest with himself. The moment her scent faded it was as if she were bleeding out in his arms. 

The room had become a safe haven of sorts, a nest he would dare call it, and he loathed to leave it in the upcoming days even though he knew he needed to and that there was business to attend to. 

They had talked a little bit about it after breakfast when he had apologized to Angela, he had meant no harm but it was too soon. He wasn’t ready to share her or let her out of his sight. It had been torture to turn to stone and know that he was leaving her behind, unable to protect her once again. 

Goliath let out a long breath and buried his face into her chest.

He felt her laugh before he heard it. 

“What is so amusing?” He propped his chin on her sternum. 

She gave a tug on his hair before returning to petting him, “nothing at all, you just remind me of my little sister,” she smiled down at him. “Whenever she was upset or anxious she would curl up with my mom on the couch and bury herself in my mom’s arms just like you are doing now.” She pulled him up and leaned down just enough to plant a kiss between his brows. “That’s all I’m thinking of.”

He snorted and smiled before returning to his previous position. 

It was nice to feel the warmth of her body against his, to know that he was weighing hers down. He felt connected and secure in a way he hadn’t for a while. 

The thought darted across his mind that if she were to give up her position as a detective on the Force then she would be safer. He knew it was selfish, and he knew that she could no longer die, but that didn’t mean she had to suffer. 

He wondered how her parents would take it. If Xanatos were to give her another job they would be far more accepting of the change in his opinion, he thought back to the last conversation between himself and Elisa’s mother. 

Diane was a strong woman, a proud woman, and someone who protected her children fiercely. He respected her and was already mentally preparing himself for the conflict that might arise. 

Elisa dug her nails in to get his attention. 

“If she blames you I’ll take care of it, don’t worry about it,” he felt her body sink deeper into the bed. “I know she’ll assume you were the reason, but I won’t let it get out of hand.”

“Isn’t it though?” He squeezed her tighter. 

“Stop it,” her voice was quiet but her words were hard. “I won’t have that, not then, not now, and not in the future. Don’t you dare regret this,” she snapped at him and pulled him closer. “If you hadn’t I wouldn’t be here, please think about that.”

He let out a rumble and didn’t say anymore. They could talk more about it later. Right now he just wanted to enjoy her, to be with her alone for just a few moments longer. 

Elisa seemed to have the same thought as she resumed her heavy petting and tracing patterns on the muscles where his wings melted into the flesh of his back and it sent tingles up his back. It was an area that was highly sensitive to light touch. 

In order to glide small, delicate, shifts of muscles and ligaments were necessary to stay airborne. Reading the air with its drafts and currents was second nature to Goliath, but the touch of fingers dragging across this skin there was unlike anything he had ever felt before. 

It was not a common way to touch one another around the wings in Gargoyle culture if anything they were mainly avoided due to their importance and sensitivity. Claws could easily rip the delicate skin that stretched between the bony extrusions. 

He cracked an eye and glanced up at her. Elisa’s eyes were closed, her face relaxed, and her body lines pressed easily into his own. 

Goliath wanted to imprint this image into his memories for eternity. She was stunning and he had made a fool of death to protect her beauty and strength. He still hadn't wrapped his mind around the fact that she had chosen him, that she wanted him, and that she treasured him just as he treasured her. 

“Elisa?” He whispered to her.

She hummed her response, eyes still closed. 

“I do not regret it.”

A small smile slid across her face, “good, love you too.”

Her motions eventually slowed to a stop as she drifted to sleep.

Elisa needed her rest. Demona had told him that yes she would survive and there would be no mark left behind after her body healed itself, but it would consume a massive amount of energy in order to do so. Now, her body was recouping the cost and he was more than willing to watch over her.


	32. The Gift Taken

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need to preface this chapter with a big ol' warning. I will also be updating the tags.
> 
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> \--------------------------------------------------  
> There is mention of miscarriage in this chapter if that makes your uncomfortable or something you do no want to read I suggest not reading this chapter. I will put a TLDR at the bottom with notes as to what happened in the chapter excluding the miscarriage besides mentioning it.  
> \--------------------------------------------------  
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> 
> 
> Apart from that, thank you all so very much for you kind messages and reviews. My life had been wild the past two months as I work as a educator in Japan and the situation here has been interesting to say the least.
> 
> I've been creatively burned out and with the help from the lovely Missyjenne, who is editing this monster with me, I've felt compelled to come back. I made some mistakes in the lore and it was really eating at me. If you have noticed and you haven't brought it up to me, thank you so much. She's helped me to chapter 9, so those have been edited and reformatted for your viewing pleasure.
> 
> My mistake was in the timeline of when eggs hatch and when they are 'born', I will not be fixing that lore as it is an integral part of this house of cards but just know I'm aware and am sorry for it. 
> 
> ANYWHO! THANK YOU!
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She sat outside the makeshift examination room, trying not to listen too hard to the conversation happening behind the closed doors. Maggie and Derek were chatting in low voices with the doctor.

He was a strange man, but not in a way that unsettled her. No, it was more that she was fascinated with him. Xanatos knew the man through connections around rare and exotic animal science; apparently his main job was working as an exotic vet in private zoos but, he also had a side hobby of studying anatomy. Dr. Kim also had a kind air about him, and she could tell from the short conversation they’d had earlier that he was a man passionate about his work and was one of the people on the front lines trying to get information and data on the Gargoyles. 

Elisa knew that Xanatos had other reasons for allowing Dr.Kim to come in close contact with the Gargoyles and her brother, but as far as she could tell there was nothing malicious. To be honest, Xanatos hadn’t put any of them in harm’s way in quite a while. 

She immediately felt guilty for having doubted him, old habits die hard. 

Derek opened the door, his muzzle curled in what equated to a beaming smile, “she’s four months along, the Doc thinks that’s about half-way through.”

Elisa stood up so she could wrap him in a hug, “That’s fantastic news!”

“He also says that the kid has all his limbs in order, wings included,” her brother snorted and pulled back. 

“It’s a boy?” She raised an eyebrow.

He shrugged, “We don’t know quite yet, but Maggie says she has a feeling.”

The voices of the doctor and Maggie quieted down as Maggie turned to the pair and laughed, “in my family we have a few superstitions. I may be wrong or I may be right,” she smiled down at her belly, her hand resting gently on it. 

“Either way, this is fantastic news,” Elisa glanced at her brother. She knew he hadn’t told their parents yet and she didn’t blame him.

It was a lot to take in; first becoming a mutant, second finding a girlfriend who also happens to be a mutant, and third that there was a child now on the way. It was a bit much for anyone to wrap their mind around but thankfully their parents had rolled with the punches a bit better than the two of them had expected. 

Their sister had been the most surprising of all. She had only looked at them and shook her head, before going on about how she was now the normal one despite her not having gone the police force route as her siblings had done. Beth had treated them no differently since that day, and if anything she was mad at Elisa for not introducing her to the Clan. 

Maybe once everything had simmered down she could be brought to the tower and introduced to everyone officially. She had met both Goliath and Angela but hadn’t gotten a chance to meet the rest. Elisa had a feeling she would get along with Lex, but Brooklyn and his newfound sense of fashion might pull Beth closer to him than the others. 

She would just have to wait. 

“Alright, Ms. Maza, I do believe it is your turn,” Dr.Kim smiled at her and helped Maggie off the bench-turned-examining table. 

She shooed her brother away and gave Maggie a quick hug before shutting the door.

“So, Xanatos tells me that you are ‘allergic’ to sunlight,” the doctor leaned back in his chair. 

“You could say that,” she glanced to the window that was heavily shaded across from them, “it may be easier to understand if you see what happens.” She stood up and made her way to the window and carefully peeled back the curtain until a beam of sunlight entered the room. She then stuck her hand into it and felt the change happen almost immediately. 

She had been too panicked before to notice, but she could feel the change and she still had feeling in the rock limbs, but it was dull and cold. 

Dr. Kim shifted over to examine the flesh that had become stone. “Fascinating,” he tapped it with the end of his pen, “do you feel that?”

“A little bit, but it’s like being tapped through a really thick winter jacket if that makes sense? Or maybe a cast?” She shrugged and pulled her arm out of the sunlight and closed the curtains again. 

Slowly but surely her flesh came back and the stone receded. 

“This only happens when you enter sunlight? How about fake sun lamps?” He questioned, jotting down notes on his pad while she sat back down on the make-shift examining table. 

“To be honest, I haven’t tried that but I haven’t reacted to any of the indoor lighting here or moonlight. It’s only direct sunlight as far as I can tell,” she settled into the table and folded her hands across her knees. 

He hummed and continued writing down notes, “do you mind if we do a full physical? It may help us find anything else that could be lurking around.”

She didn’t see the harm in it, and she hadn’t been in for a physical in almost a year. Her work would have wanted her to do one anyway and so she went about answering his questions. 

“When was the last time you menstruated?” He didn’t look up from his notes.

She paused and had to think. “You know, I don’t remember. Could it have been two months ago? Three?” She tried to think back and it wasn’t coming to her. She had been spotting but it hadn’t been anything major. 

“Mind if I give you a pregnancy test? Just so we can quickly rule that out,” he looked up and raised an eyebrow at her. “I don’t have the means to do a blood work test for it, but I do have the urine-based ones which are just as good as the blood-based ones,” he dug around in his satchel. “Usually I would have a lab to examine the urine sample, but we are away from my home base so all I have is the store-bought kind,” he smiled kindly while handing her the little plastic stick.

“Sure, I don’t see the harm. There’s no way I could be pregnant though. I’ve been pretty stressed out,” she laughed and shook her head but accepted it either way. “I’ll be right back, there’s a bathroom just down the hall.”

In a matter of minutes she was back in the room and carefully handing him back the stick. He placed it off to the side so he could continue the examination. 

“Apart from that how do you feel?” He put his stethoscope gently against her back, under her shirt. 

“I’m tired, but that’s to be expected,” she chuckled, “part of the job description at this point.” 

He nodded, understanding what she meant, “I’ve seen the news, I can only imagine what it is like behind the scenes.” He had no idea, but she didn’t feel the urge to share. 

Dr. Kim quickly took her height and weight. He scratched down a few more notes before turning his full attention to her. “Overall, quite healthy! You have a heavy workload so exhaustion and stress are to be expected, I can give you a referral to a psychiatrist for a psych evaluation just to make sure that the stress isn’t taking too much of a toll,” he offered.

She squirmed in her seat before she straightened her back and took a deep breath. “Yeah, I think that would be wise, thank you. I hadn’t even considered that the stress from my work was piling up.”

“Most people don’t see it until it’s too late,” he handed her a note with a name and number scribbled on it, “this is a trusted colleague, you can have Xanatos check her out before you contact her yourself.” He smiled kindly before turning to look at the pregnancy test. 

She folded up the paper and put it in her pocket, making a mental note to do a little research herself before telling Xanatos and the rest. 

Dr. Kim turned back to her, his eyebrows knit in confusion, “it seems you are pregnant, the test is positive.” He showed it to her and Elisa felt the room rush out from around her. 

It was impossible. There was no chance in hell that she was pregnant.

“Are you sure?” She kept her cool, but she felt numb all over. “Is there a chance it’s a false-positive?” 

“I can do a quick ultrasound, and we can take another test, one at my lab, just to make sure. You said there was no chance in you being pregnant…” he let the sentence trail off and heat rose along her neck up to her ears. 

“My partner is Goliath, he’s not human, there should be no chance for a baby,” she shuffled in the chair, waiting for the judgment. 

He nodded, face open and kind. “I’m not judging you, I’m sorry if this is making you uncomfortable. As a medical professional I try to keep my personal opinion and professional line of work separate,” he helped lead her back on the bench, much like Maggie had been reclined. 

She pulled down the high waist of her jeans and pulled her shirt up to reveal her lower stomach fully.

“That I can understand, it isn’t always easy being a detective. You see a lot more of humanity than you thought possible, being a doctor must be similar,” she eyed the monitor.

Dr. Kim chuckled, “You are quite right.” 

The gel was cold against her skin and goosebumps erupted across her body.

It was hard to tell what exactly he was looking at on the screen, she had only ever seen them in movies and dramas. 

“Well, from what I can see there is evidence that there was once a fetus here, but I cannot see it.” He squinted at the screen, “here,” he pointed to a line on the screen. “This is the remnants of a gestational sac, but it seems to be breaking down.” He turned to face her fully. “I’m sorry, but I believe you have miscarried.”

The room hadn’t stopped spinning since he had announced that her test had been positive, but it spun a little quicker. “What?” 

“From what I can see, which isn’t much,” his voice was soft and low, he had picked up on her panic she was sure. “You had been pregnant, the fetus was between fourteen to twenty weeks along.”

That lined up, roughly, to when she and Goliath had started getting more physical with each other. She had been carrying his child. 

“Have you had any physical trauma? I didn’t see signs of it on the body but anything from working out too hard to falling can cause this to happen. Sometimes the body just miscarries without a reason.” He wiped the goo off of her belly and she mechanically pulled her shirt and pants back in place. 

“I was in a fight, not too long ago. Was part of a job,” she tried to tell the truth without revealing too much of what had happened. She doubted he would believe her, despite him seemingly believing that she turned to stone in the sunlight. 

He nodded and hummed, “That would do it. It’s not your fault,” he placed a hand over one of hers that was on her knee. “Things happen, and you didn’t know.” He was trying to comfort her, taking her shock as disappointment.

She wasn’t sure how she felt. She needed to sit down and mull over all of the information. It was almost too much at once. They hadn’t thought it possible, there was seemingly no way. They were two different species, from different evolutionary lines. Scientifically speaking it was impossible. 

“Here, I’ll write up a report for your boss, saying that you mustn't work during the daylight hours, and I’ll spin it that you break out in hives and your skin takes time to heal itself rather than trying to explain that you turn to stone instantly,” he nodded to himself, taking her silence as permission. 

“Thank you,” she hated how small her voice sounded. She didn’t feel like herself, she felt like she was outside of her body looking in. Her movements were her own but they felt delayed as her mind lagged behind her actions. 

He shook his head, “Don’t thank me, this is my job and I am more than happy to help. You are doing good work for the Gargoyles and their kind.” Dr. Kim handed her the sealed letter, handwritten, signed, and stamped for her to hand over to Chavez. “If she has any questions, you can give her your permission to call me directly, but I doubt she will need further explanation.”

\--------------------------------------------------

The rock layer of skin cracked and crashed to the floor below as he shook his wings and stretched. The conversation with Elisa from the previous night played over in his mind. If he thought hard enough he could call up the memory of her body heat radiating out underneath him.

All around him everyone else had also awoken and were in various stages of stretches and planning out their days’.

He turned to them, “we may have been granted a spot on the endangered species list, but I do not think it safe enough to venture too far from the tower.”

Each in turned nodded, agreeing with his statement.

“It doesn’t help that we don’t know how many Quarry Men are in New York…” Angela’s wings clasped and unclassed over her clavicle as she looked to Brooklyn. 

He in turn nodded, “yeah, it’s just not safe yet.”

The Trio had matured since their first awakening that night almost a year and a half ago. He was sure that the Trio from then would have argued and then snuck away despite his orders. This time, he felt no deception coming from them.

Hudson chimed in, “we also need to start looking into the next step,” his hand rested on the hilt of his blade, Goliath could see the wheels turning in the older Gargoyles mind. 

“Yes, we have Dingo with us no, more firepower for us when we storm the complex,” Brooklyn sounded a little too into the aspect of firepower for Goliath’s tastes, but he would leave it be.

Amp and Lex were oddly quiet, Goliath glanced towards them and they seemed to be locked in a heated argument of whispers. He raised his eyebrow at them, hoping that they would notice his gaze.

Instead, the two continued until Lex threw his hands up into the air and stormed away.

“Wanna share with the class?” Brooklyn asked.

Amp shook his head, “no, this had nothing to do with anything else, it’s between us and I would like to keep it that way.”

Goliath could respect that, sometimes pairs squabbled. “If the two of you need help, I can be an ear to you lads,” Hudson patted Amp’s shoulder before heading into the castle.

Goliath took in a deep breath, curious if he could scent Elisa. Occasionally, if she had been in the area recently or if she was close enough he could locate her but today was not his day. He set off in search of her, checking first her bedroom before going to the main hall. 

“Have you seen Elisa?” He asked Fox, who was sitting on the floor in front of the hearth with Alex. The two seemed to be playing a game, one with rules he did not understand just yet.

“Last I saw her was when I helped Dr. Kim set up the examination room, it should be down the hall just a little ways,” she pointed him in the right direction. 

He nodded his thanks and once again set off in search of his Mate. 

It didn’t take him very long after that, her scent trail went from the examination room directly into the outdoor garden areas. He was sure it was too cold to be comfortable out there but Elisa always did what she wanted when she wanted, and Fox had left out more than enough blankets at each of the doorways in and out of the castle. 

Something about her scent was off, and he couldn’t quite put a talon on it. 

He found her sitting on a bench below one of the street lamps Xanatos had installed when the castle had first been moved. She was wrapped up in one of the many shawls and she had it pulled tightly around her. 

Goliath approached her cautiously, trying to understand what was wrong.

“Elisa?” He called out gently.

Her shoulders started to shake. 

“Elisa, what’s wrong?” He moved to settle in to sit by her side, one of his wings instinctively wrapping around her and pulling her close. “Are you hurt?”

She hadn’t made a sound yet, but he knew something was wrong. Something had happened when he was asleep like it always did to her.

Elisa let out a sob before she burrowed into his side. Both his arm and his wing pulled her even closer and tried to cut out the world as best as possible.

“Elisa, can you tell me what’s wrong?” He asked carefully, unsure of what to do. He had seen her cry before and she was not the person who wore sadness often.

She took a shaky breath, “I just…” she shook her head. “Goliath?”

“Yes my love.” He shifted so his chin rested on the crown of her head, the arm wrapped around her gave her a small squeeze.

“I don’t know how to say this,” she wiped her face into the blanket wrapped around her shoulders, “so I’m going to say it as it is. I was pregnant.”

Her words blindsided him. There was no way she was pregnant. The world spun out from under them. 

“Wha-” she shushed him. 

“I lost it when Thailog almost killed me. He killed…” she trailed off and he could feel her glance down, most likely at her stomach. 

“Was-” she shushed him again. 

“It was yours, the doctor said I was only a month or two along, and you are the only partner I have had recently,” her voice was shaky but he could hear her strength behind it. 

He took a deep breath, and tried to keep his emotions in check. Sadness and anger were a potent mix and this was neither the place nor time. Thailog was already being hunted, this only fueled Goliath’s desire to crush his so-called son. Not only had he betrayed Gargoyle kind, but he was an Egg Shatterer.

It was one of the worst labels that could be given to a Gargoyle. Killing happened in war, accidental or purposeful. But, ‘to destroy something as helpless as an Egg’, he stopped his train of thought from going too far, he didn’t need to spiral out. Not when she needed him. 

“Are you okay?” He tried to keep his voice even, to keep the anger out. He could feel himself losing control.

“You’re mad,” he could feel her freeze against him. 

“Not with you, never with you,” he scrambled to comfort her. He pulled away and kneeled on the ground in front of her. “Please, believe me when I say I believe you.” He clasped his hands over hers, she wasn’t looking him in the eye. “My Sunshine please, look at me,” he whispered.

Her eyes were watering when she finally glanced up. He could see the edges of fear in her pain.

“I do not blame you, Thailog did what he did to kill you, and yet here we are. Still alive,” he gently reached up to cup her cheek with one palm. “I don’t know my emotions right now, I feel anger and hatred towards him for what he did to you and now it is compounded with this, and to be honest,” he thumb rubbed her cheek, “I don’t know what I am feeling.”

It was as if his anger and sadness were locked in a battle of wills. He wanted to feel real for a moment and let go so his anger could overtake him much like they had when he had gone berserk. The memories from it were fuzzy around the edges but he knew Elisa had been the one to pull him out of that state. He wanted to break down with her and mourn the loss of a child as he had with the shattered eggs, a life had been snuffed.

Memories of their shells scattered about the hatchery flashed before his eyes and he stiffened. The smells and sounds from that time filtered into the air around them and his gut roiled. 

“I only know what it is like to lose children before their time,” he admitted in a quiet voice. 

“I love you,” she whispered. 

“And I you, please do not forget that.” He leaned in and gave her a quick kiss before pulling back. “A baby,” he murmured. 

“One you and I made together,” he couldn’t place the emotion in her voice. 

“But how?” He let out a long breath and squeezed her hands in his. “I thought it was impossible?”

“So did I until the second line showed up,” she let out a shuddering breath and a\tears welled up again. 

He fretted over her, his boiling anger once again rising to the surface. 

Something that he had never imagined possible had been right before him and then stolen away. He didn’t know how to grieve or how to comfort her. He was out of his depth and he knew it. 

“It’s okay,” he stood up and pulled her up with him. Goliath wrapped his arms tightly around her and his wings wrapped around the two of them to create a barrier. “It’ll be okay,” he murmured into her neck and squeezed her. 

He felt her melt into him, her head rested on his shoulder.

“We will be okay,” she whispered back. “Right now I just hurt.”

He nodded, letting go of her. “Let’s go inside. I won’t say anything to the others, we can be alone if you would like?” He offered her the best comfort he could, and that was making her feel safe and protected.

“I want to see the others, but I’m not ready to share the news, or well the…” she trailed off.

“It’s okay my love,” he led her back to the door. “Just tell me when you need and I will do my best,” he opened it for her and ushered her in. 

“Right now, the only thing I want is to be surrounded by my family. Maggie and Derek have good news, today is their day and they should enjoy it,” she smiled, a few more tears escaping but she was quick to wipe them away. 

“Let’s go find the others then,” he leaned down to kiss her forehead.

They set off down the hallway together in search of the rest of their Clan and it’s extended family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TLDR
> 
> Maggie is indeed pregnant and is about four months along. The child is known to have wings but who the child will take after is unknown. 
> 
> Elisa received a pregnancy test that comes back positive so she has an ultrasound done, and it is confirmed that she had miscarried.
> 
> Cut to Goliath and the rest who are waking up. He asks them all to stay close to the tower despite them ebing on the endangered species list.
> 
> Lex and Amp have a spat but it is not gone into.
> 
> Goliath searches for and finds Elisa, he comforts her as best he can.
> 
> There yah go! The barebones! I didn't want to go anymore in depth since everyone is difference and I'm trying to keep this as safe and friendly a review as possible!


End file.
